Black Ink shades a White Page
by KuroiWinter
Summary: There's a new captain in the Third Division and everyone's excited and relieved. But everybody has at least one secret to hide . . . don't they?  ToshiroxOC
1. Chapter 1: New Captain of the Gotei 13

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or any of the characters or settings, Tite Kubo does.

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><p><em>Chapter 1: New Captain of the Gotei 13<em>

The nine captains of the Gotei 13 waited for Head Captain Yamamoto to speak. They had all been called to an impromptu meeting in the First Division Assembly Hall and no one really knew what was going on.

Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni opened his eyes fractionally, leaning forwards on his staff, 'The meeting will now commence,'

As there was another short silence, one which none of the waiting captains wanted to try and fill, Hitsugaya Toshiro took the moment to think.  
>As the Captain of the Tenth Division, he was usually informed of recent events. However, as far as he knew, the happenings of this meeting were going to be a complete surprise - pleasant or unpleasant.<p>

'I will ask you all to listen to what I have to say,' the Head Captain finally continued, 'A new captain has been appointed after careful consideration,' a few pairs of eyes widened at his statement, then the old man continued, 'As of today, she will be joining the shinigami in this hall as the Captain of the Third Division,'

_She? _Soifon, Captain of the Second Division and Commander-in-Chief of the Onmitsukido, thought in light surprise, _That'll be new._

At present, there were only two female captains, herself, and Captain Unohana Retsu of the Fourth Division.

'Enter, Kanashimi Yuki!' Yamamoto banged down on the ground with his staff.

All of the waiting captains turned to look at the door.

* * *

><p>The bright light coming in from outside made Toshiro's eyes go fuzzy for a moment but, after he'd blinked a few times, he could see what everyone else was seeing.<p>

As Kanashimi Yuki, new captain of the Third Division, walked through the doors to stand a few metres into the room, there was a pause.

The young woman would have been a good few inches taller than Hinamori Momo, Lieutenant of the Fifth Division, but she looked like an eighteen or nineteen year old human girl, albeit much more mature. Light lavender eyes were complimented with pale skin and midnight black hair that hung loose around her face but was tied tightly at the back of her neck, reaching her lower back. Her body structure was similar to Soifon's trained form and everyone could see the black hilt of her zanpakuto at her waist. The inside of her haori was a dark grey.

Yuki bowed, 'My name is Kanashimi Yuki, it's a pleasure to meet you,'

Her voice was lower than one might expect but it seemed to fit her appearance nicely.

Yamamoto nodded, 'The meeting is dismissed,'

Ukitake Jushiro, who was by nature a very friendly man, walked over to the newcomer, 'Hello, I'm Captain Ukitake of the Thirteenth Division,' he smiled at her serious face, 'Don't hesitate to ask me any questions, okay? Sometimes getting a promotion like this can be a bit confusing,'

'I see,' cool purple eyes flicked up to meet warm green ones, 'Thank you,'

Jushiro just nodded and smiled again before turning to leave with his longtime friend, Kyoraku Shunsui.

Toshiro paused by the door once before leaving, noticing that Kuchiki Byakuya did the same, and then sighed.

* * *

><p>'Boo!' a bubbly voice sounded as someone leapt around a corner and tried to hug the short captain. Toshiro jerked backwards and his Lieutenant, Matsumoto Rangiku, flew past him.<p>

Trying to walk onwards was impossible with her hanging around so he just waited for the woman to scamper back.

'So,' she drew out the word, then she grinned, pale blue eyes sparkling, 'What happened?'

'There's a new captain for the Third Division,' Toshiro replied shortly, envisaging all of the reports that would be sitting in piles beside his desk.

'Really?' Matsumoto stood straight, one hand tapping her chin, then she leant back down, 'Who is it?'

'Kanashimi Yuki,' sighing, the young captain gave up trying to escape the woman and leant against one of the buildings, waiting for her to finish.

'A girl?' the Lieutenant sounded surprised but she brightened immediately, 'Is she super cute? I want to meet her!'

'You've got work to do,' he snapped back, despite knowing that it was useless, 'And at least let her meet her Division first!'

'Fine,' full lips turned down in a frown, 'But I'm going to a Shinigami Women's Association Meeting so I can't do any work,'

Before he could stop her, Rangiku had used shunpo to race away. Rubbing his face in pure frustration, Toshiro used his own flash steps to take him to his office.

* * *

><p>'A new captain?' Kira Izuru, Lieutenant of the Third Division, listened to the conversations of the gathered squad members worriedly. He was usually pessimistic by nature so thinking the worst about how the squad would receive the new captain wasn't exactly surprising for him.<p>

When he'd woken up, someone had arrived to say that a new captain would be joining everyone at midday and to gather together all of the Division. So he'd done that and now it was midday and everyone was tired of waiting.

The soft tapping of waraji on wooden floor made Izuru turn.

When the blonde man saw the woman walking towards them, he was glad that his hairstyle hid one of his eyes. She was wearing a captain's haori so there really wasn't any doubt that this was the Third Division's new captain.

'Are you Lieutenant Kira?' when she spoke, it was clear that her appearance belied her true age, but still, it was . . . strange.

'Y-yes,' he held out his hand nervously and tried to smile, 'That's me,'

She took it and then turned to the dumbstruck shinigami watching them, 'You must be the members of the Third Division,'

'Who the hell are you?' the rude words made Izuru flinch but the captain just gazed at the speaker impassively, 'You can't be our captain,'

'I am Kanashimi Yuki, newly appointed Captain of the Third Division,' there was some steel in her voice when she added, 'It's nice to meet you all,'

The man who'd spoken was slightly taken aback but no one really accepted this shinigami as their captain. To make matters worse, the majority of the Third Division was currently male and, from the looks on their faces, they weren't too happy about the way things had turned out.

'I understand that it will take more than a day for you to start accepting me,' Yuki turned away, 'But, as long as I'm your captain, I will protect you no matter what. That's what a captain does,' she paused, 'Kira,'

The Lieutenant hurried after her, shooting one last look at the frozen Division members.

* * *

><p>Matsumoto snuck around another building, hiding her reiatsu as best she could.<em> Her<em> captain would never know if she just met the new captain secretly.

Coming around another corner, she found herself in front of the Third Division offices. Grinning, she used quick shunpo to take herself inside, peeking around doors until she sensed Izuru's reiatsu.

'Izuru, where's your-,' as she rounded the corner, Rangiku found herself standing in the office of the Third Division's captain, which looked identical to her own captain's apart from the second desk.

The young woman herself was seated at her desk, Izuru at his, and both looked up at Matsumoto's loud entrance.

_Why didn't I sense her reiatsu?_ Rangiku paused, thinking that it was odd, especially since she could feel it now.

'Lieutenant Matsumoto!' Izuru jumped up, looking from face to face in shock, 'What are you doing?'

'Matsumoto?' Yuki stood and walked over, 'Are you from the Tenth Division?'

'That's right,' Rangiku smiled winningly, hoping that the captain wasn't going to tell Toshiro.

'May I ask what you're doing?' the tone wasn't demanding, just curious.

'Oh, I just wanted to meet you. I heard the Third Division had gotten a new captain,' the taller woman brushed some strawberry blonde hair out of her face, 'I thought Izuru could tell me where to find you,'

'Kira?' turning to her Lieutenant, Yuki raised a questioning brow.

'Oh yes! Didn't he tell you?' Matsumoto made it sound like the pair were in a relationship, then she just grinned, 'We're drinking buddies!'

Izuru felt any pride he'd managed to retain after the former captain, Ichimaru Gin, had deserted the Soul Society, slip away from him and he put his head in his hands. Trust Rangiku to ruin any positive relationship between him and his new captain.

'Drinking buddies?' the carefully blank look on the captain's face made Matsumoto instantly feel that she needed to take the girl under her wing and 'nurture' her.

'Matsumoto!' the cold fury rippling along the corridor made everyone blink.

'Oh no!' Matsumoto rushed further into the office, looking for a place to hide, 'That'll be my captain!'

Unfortunately for her, Toshiro stepped through the doorway just as she was about to hide behind Kira.

'What are you doing?' seeing the white haired captain's rage had Matsumoto shivering, as well as the sudden temperature drop, 'You do have _work _to do, you know!'

'I just came to say hello to Captain,' Matsumoto realised she didn't recall the woman's name, then Izuru whispered it to her and she smiled, stepping out from behind the blonde, 'Kanashimi,'

Toshiro turned and glanced at the black haired shinigami before sighing, 'My apologies for my Lieutenant's behaviour,'

'Don't worry about it,' Yuki met turquoise eyes with her own before glancing at the two Lieutenants, 'Matsumoto, I think you're required somewhere else,'

'I'll be back!' Rangiku declared grandly as she marched from the room, her captain following silently, eye twitching.

'Drinking buddies?' Yuki repeated once they'd gone, amused despite herself.

* * *

><p>Author's Note:<p>

And so another epic tale begins! *laughs self-consciously*

This story is set after the Winter War, but it kind of takes the place of the Amagai Arc in the Bleach anime - the stories aren't similar apart from the beginning though.

Also, compared to _Snow Falls in the Present_ it might be a little slow, but I still hope you read and enjoy!


	2. Chapter 2: Sake and Party

_Chapter 2: Sake + Party_

'What were you thinking?' Toshiro snapped once they were back in his office, 'You said you were going to an Association meeting,'

'Well I was,' Matsumoto stalled, 'But Captain Kuchiki destroyed our pool,'

'Your pool?' the short captain blinked, suddenly forgetting his anger, 'Don't tell me you built it in his gardens,'

'We didn't think he'd find it!' Rangiku protested, tears welling up in her eyes as she remembered finding the destroyed pool.

'It was in his backyard, of course he'd find it!' Toshiro knew that Byakuya actually had a rather large 'yard', but still, 'He'd probably got people working on restoring it to its former glory right now,'

'I know,' the Lieutenant nodded somberly, then she brightened, 'So what do you think of the new captain? I mean, you like her more than you liked Gin, right?'

Matsumoto had let the memories of her childhood friend, Ichimaru Gin, fade and it was hardly painful to remember his death anymore.

'Almost anyone is better than that man,' Toshiro's grip tightened on his brush as he remembered the three shinigami who had betrayed the Soul Society – Aizen Sosuke, Ichimaru Gin, and Tosen Kaname.

They had caused three captains positions to become vacant and, until now, none of them had been filled. He was almost sure that Hisagi Shuuhei had his hands full managing the Ninth Division now that Tosen was gone, and he was certain that Hinamori Momo was having difficulty coping with the work for the Fifth Division. Those two Lieutenants were always busy, just like Izuru had been until the new captain arrived.

'Shiro-chan!'

The happy call made him flinch. He thought that it was always interesting when you were thinking of someone and then they arrived.

'Come in Hinamori, but don't call me Shiro-chan,' Toshiro stood and walked over to the door, opening it to reveal his childhood friend.

The Lieutenant had healed well from the _injuries _that she'd received during the Winter War, and now she was back to her normal self. Still, he always intercepted most of the Fifth Division's paperwork, just to help her out a bit.

'Have you seen the new captain?' as soon as she spoke, Toshiro sighed, wondering if getting a new captain really _was _such a large event then realising that, yes, it was.

'I have,' Matsumoto was practically glowing, 'And of course the captain has,' she beckoned Momo over and the pair sat down on one of the couches.

'What's he like?' the black haired shinigami was obviously unaware of the details and had just assumed the most likely outcome.

Matsumoto giggled, 'Not he,' she leaned closer, whispering conspiratorially, '_She!_'

'Really?' Momo sat bolt upright in surprise, 'How astonishing!'

'I know!' Matsumoto squealed, 'And she's so cute!'

'Really?' the shorter girl found herself repeating her earlier exclamation.

'I can't wait to get to know her,' Rangiku sighed in a paternal way, 'She has so much to learn,'

Toshiro sat at his desk, trying to concentrate, but becoming increasingly worried for the new captain's safety.

Finally he couldn't take it anymore and stood up, chair skittering backwards, and said in a deadly way, 'Please discuss all of that somewhere else. I'm trying to _work_,'

At the venom in her captain's voice, Matsumoto dragged Hinamori out of the room, still chattering about all of the 'wonderful things' she wanted to do to Captain Kanashimi.

* * *

><p>As Izuru followed his captain through the Division barracks, he couldn't help but notice all of the untrusting stares Yuki was receiving. He hadn't spoken to the woman much but she seemed to be a thoughtful and intelligent person, despite being almost impossible to read – kind of like Ichimaru but in a different way entirely. When he remembered the Rangiku incident a few hours earlier, he couldn't help but feel even more depressed.<p>

Noticing the steady decline in the happiness of her Lieutenant, Yuki paused on the large platform where the Division members had first greeted her. Turning, she surveyed the miserable face of Kira.

'Is there a problem?' her words were, as usual, rather stoic, but concerned.

'N-no,' Izuru shook his head, then he paused, 'Can I be excused for a while?'

'Okay,' violet eyes darkened as he used shunpo to vanish.

Wondering what was wrong with the melancholy man, Yuki continued on her walk towards one of the training rooms, hoping to see what they were like.

* * *

><p>'I need your help, Matsumoto!' Kira fell to his knees with nervous exhaustion as he arrived before Rangiku, having raced through half of the Seireitei to find her.<p>

'Are you okay Izuru?' she knelt down concernedly, wondering where she'd left her bottle of sake. Sake was good in times like this.

'I'm fine,' he really didn't look it, whatever he said, 'But I _really _need your help!'

'My help?' Rangiku tilted her head to one side, considering the man who was quivering like an emotional wreck.

'No one accepts the captain and they certainly don't trust her! They keep glaring at her and I don't know what to do!' if Izuru had been thinking rationally, he would've known not to ask Rangiku for any advice, but, as it was, he wasn't thinking at all.

'Well I suggest a party!' Matsumoto had worked out how to incorporate sake into the plan, 'A party where everyone gets drunk and relaxed, you know what I mean, right?'

'What if Captain Kanashimi doesn't drink?' Izuru wailed, 'Then it'll just be awkward,'

'Sure she drinks,' remembering the girl's expression when she'd spoken about 'drinking buddies' earlier, Matsumoto stopped to wonder if what she said was actually true.

However, before she had time to say that to Izuru, the Lieutenant had already run off.

_Oh no, _Rangiku stood and shook her head, _Poor Izuru._

* * *

><p>'A party right now?' everyone was rather surprised when Izuru called them all together for a party. It wasn't like the Lieutenant at all, and, in addition, it was only mid-afternoon.<p>

'That's right! A welcoming party for the captain!' Izuru was trying his best to stay cheerful, 'Come on!'

He led everyone to the eating room and they all knelt at the long, low tables, pouring the sake that Izuru had managed to get ahold of.

When the Lieutenant heard the light tread of the captain, he jumped up and ran out the door to greet her.

'What is it?' Yuki looked surprised, turning to face the now quite excited man.

'Would you come here, Captain? We've prepared a welcoming party for you,' Izuru ushered the startled shinigami inside the building. He knew that, if they were in the World of the Living, then it would have been much harder getting a drink for the captain due to her slightly underage appearance. Still, despite that, she came across as much older than Kurosaki Ichigo or any or his friends.

'A party?' lavender eyes blinked once as the captain surveyed the waiting shinigami.

'That's right!' sitting down at the separate table at the end of the room, Izuru beckoned the woman over.

Yuki walked up to the table and knelt before it gracefully.

'Here you go Captain,' Izuru handed her a large red drinking cup and poured sake into it generously.

Everyone else watched in anticipation, wondering what was going to happen.

Yuki hesitated once before raising her bowl, 'Thank you, Kira,' turning to look out at the waiting group, she spoke again, 'Well it's a pleasure to meet everyone today and I hope you'll come to see me as your captain over time,'

Then she tilted back the bowl and swallowed the drink.

As Izuru watched his captain, he began feeling much happier, especially as everyone started to talk, drink and laugh. He gulped down his own warm sake, letting himself relax after a very tense day. Beside him, Yuki was swirling the remainder of her drink in the bowl, staring at the warm liquid.

* * *

><p>Matsumoto was pacing restlessly, feeling guilty at the same time as amused. She was guilty because of what might happen to Izuru, but she was also wondering how everything was going to turn out with hidden glee.<p>

'Could you stop doing that?' Toshiro snapped suddenly, straightening and turning to glare at her, knuckles white on his brush.

'I'm just a bit worried,' she put on her best innocent voice, 'About Izuru,'

'Why?' the white haired captain sounded incredibly suspicious.

'Because I told him to throw a party with the rest of the Division for the new captain,' Matsumoto spoke quickly, letting all the information out in a rush, 'But I just can't imagine Captain Kanashimi drinking so now I'm concerned for Izuru's sanity,'

Toshiro put down him brush quickly so as to avoid snapping it, then he stood and left the room briskly.

'Captain?' Matsumoto stuck her head around the door, calling out.

'Don't leave that room,' the warning in the young captain's voice was enough to make Rangiku hurry back into the room and sit down, pulling out her own bottle of sake.

* * *

><p>Author's Note:<p>

Trust Rangiku to get Izuru into a situation like that . . .  
>Izuru asking her for help is reminiscent of the Amagai Arc, but maybe a bit more dramatic?<p> 


	3. Chapter 3: Of Sake and Candy

_Chapter 3: Of Sake and Candy_

Toshiro couldn't believe what his Lieutenant had done. It was coming up to late afternoon now, and he could only guess the state that Kira would be in if Matsumoto's plan had failed. After all, no one really drank during the day unless they were _really _stressed or simply a sake addict.

Rounding the corner to the Third Division, he hurried up through the buildings until he found the one that contained a group of reiatsu. It was also the room emitting the most noise.

Cracking open the door slightly, Toshiro peered in.

The Third Division members were sprawled out across the ground, laughing and mumbling to themselves and making a mess with spilt sake.

Looking to the end of the room, he saw Izuru passed out with his head on the table and a cup dangling from his fingers, and Kanashimi looking lightly amused.

Opening the door fully, he stepped inside, a few of the conscious shinigami glancing up at him.

Not sure exactly what to say, he just glanced back up the room and then spoke, 'Kanashimi, could I have a word?'

Yuki glanced up as the white haired captain opened the door and tried very hard not to be surprised, but she didn't rise.

However, when the captain asked for her, thinking it was important, she stood and made her way over to the door, 'Yes?'

Toshiro was at a loss of words and he could see the new captain was actually absolutely fine, 'Have your belongings been moved into the captain's apartments?' as he received a nod, he continued, 'Right, I was just asked to check,'

Yuki's mind was working perfectly fine, despite the one cup of sake she'd drunk, and she quickly realised that the captain, Hitsugaya Toshiro, if the reports weren't lying, wasn't saying everything. She remembered the white haired shinigami coming to take Matsumoto away and realised that this was most definitely the Captain of the Tenth Division.

'I'm assuming your Lieutenant has something to do with this,' she gestured to the room distantly.

Toshiro nodded, his annoyance returning, 'My apologies,' he noted that this was the second time he'd had to say that in one day, 'Matsumoto can sometimes be,' he paused, 'A little pushy,'

Straightening, Yuki turned and glanced at her drunk Division and sighed, 'Right,'

The Tenth Division captain was, by now, feeling incredibly uncomfortable with the whole situation and so he turned to go, 'Well, if you can handle everything here, I should go,'

Yuki just nodded and watched as the captain used shunpo to vanish.

* * *

><p>Unohana sighed as she received a request from the Third Division for medicine to reduce the after effects of alcohol. Knowing how Lieutenant Kira tended to worry a lot, and that he was friends with Lieutenant Matsumoto, it wasn't too hard to work out what had happened. The kind woman only hoped that the new captain wasn't having too hard a time coping with everything.<p>

'Isane,' her Lieutenant hurried over, 'Please take this to the Third Division and tend to everyone there,'

'Yes Captain,' the tall girl rushed over and then set off to the barracks, expecting to find a whole lot of drunken shinigami and, sure enough, she did.

* * *

><p>Yuki watched as the quiet girl began healing each one of her Division members and decided that, for an afternoon party, it hadn't been that bad for them. She herself never drank and had only partaken in the sake so as to help everyone relax – it seemed to have served its purpose, if a little too effectively.<p>

'Captain Kanashimi,' Isane spoke courteously, 'Everyone should be fine as soon as they wake up,'

'I see,' the captain nodded as the Fourth Division Lieutenant walked out. Then, walking over to where Kira was lying, she tapped his head.

'Wha-,' the Lieutenant sat bolt upright, blinking as he focused his vision, and found himself staring at his captain, 'Oh! Captain!'

'Make sure this lot get back to the barracks once they wake up,' Yuki turned away, 'I have to have a word with Matsumoto,'

'Right,' as soon as she'd left, Izuru suddenly realised what she'd said, 'Oh,' he looked crestfallen, 'I wonder how she worked it out,'

* * *

><p>Toshiro looked up when there was a knock at his door and called out, telling whoever it was to come in.<p>

When Captain Kanashimi stepped into the orderly room, so similar to her own office, he nearly ruined the document he was writing on, the brush almost slipping from his fingers.

'Kanashimi?' the white haired captain asked, reining in his surprise.

'Is your Lieutenant here?' the calm but slightly rough voice sounded slightly quiet as the captain was facing the opposite direction, lavender eyes skimming over the bookshelves

'No, I expect she's at a Shinigami Women's Association meeting,' Toshiro replied, despite suspecting that what Matsumoto had said could be a lie.

'Where are they held?' she turned to face him fully.

Biting back a sigh, Toshiro answered truthfully, 'In the Kuchiki Estate. You would have seen Kuchiki this morning - he's the captain of the Sixth Division. The Association managed to build some sort of hideaway in the family manor so that's where they'll be,' as Yuki turned to the door, he added, 'But I don't recommend asking the captain where they are because he's not too happy that they're there in the first place,'

'I see,' the captain walked out of the room and Toshiro suddenly realised that she always seemed to carry a sort of heavy sadness around with her.

That fit the Division as its insignia was the marigold which signified despair, but, when Ichimaru had been captain, everyone in the Division had had strangely mischievous personalities. Most of them except Lieutenant Kira, anyway.

Wondering about that, Toshiro finished filling out his form.

* * *

><p>'She's coming!' Rangiku squealed as she ran back from the secret door where she'd been watching Yuki approach the Kuchiki manor bathed in a twilight glow, 'What should we do?'<p>

'Who's coming?' Ise Nanao, Lieutenant of the Eighth Division and Vice-President of the Shinigami Women's Association, asked as she adjusted her glasses in annoyance, looking up from her book.

'The new captain! Kanashimi Yuki!' Matsumoto flopped down on the ground and began waving her arms around madly, just to create more excitement.

'Why?' Kuchiki Rukia, an unseated shinigami in the Thirteenth Division and sister of Kuchiki Byakuya, asked as she glanced up from her rabbit drawing.

'Probably because I told Izuru to throw a party at lunchtime and everyone got drunk,' Matsumoto didn't sound concerned at all, although she received some disapproving looks, 'But anyway, what should we do?'

'Bring her here!' Kusajishi Yachiru, a very small shinigami with pink hair who also happened to be the Lieutenant of the Eleventh Division and President of the Shinigami Women's Association, clapped her hands and then stuffed another sweet into her mouth.

'I'm on it, President,' the serious voice of Kurotsuchi Nemu sounded as the Twelfth Division Lieutenant moved over to one of the secret doors, disappearing out of it.

Everyone waited in anticipation and then there was a slight rustling noise before the door opened to reveal Nemu holding onto Yuki's arm tightly.

The new captain glanced at each of the shinigami inside the room and then stepped inside, Nemu releasing her.

'Captain Kanashimi!' Matsumoto stood up and approached her, 'It's nice of you to come,'

'Matsumoto,' Yuki met the Lieutenant's sky blue eyes, 'Why did you tell Kira to hold a party?'

'Was it fun?' Rangiku leaned towards the shorter shinigami, 'Is everyone a little more relaxed?'

'I wouldn't know,' Yuki deadpanned, 'They're all drunk and unconscious,'

Rukia laughed, she couldn't help herself, and then, once she'd startled clutching her sides in mild agony, smiles grew on everyone else's faces, including the usually stern Soifon.

'Really?' Matsumoto chuckled, 'I wonder what type of sake Izuru found for you lot,'

'Your captain's not happy,' Yuki moved further into the room and knelt on the floor near Rukia, seeing the shinigami's drawing, she added, 'You must like rabbits,'

As Matsumoto started trying to think up good excuses, Rukia sat bolt upright, and, turning to the new Third Division captain, she said, 'My name's Kuchiki Rukia. Is this any good?' and shoved the drawing in her face.

For some reason, looking at the rabbit-ised depiction of what looked to be an orange haired shinigami and some humans, Yuki got the impression that this person, Rukia, didn't get compliments on her drawing often – if at all – so she said simply, 'It's cute,'

Along with general sharp intakes of breath, Yuki watched the shinigami's blue purple eyes widen and then Rukia leapt up and lunged at the captain, slamming into her and sending both of them sprawling along the ground.

It was only after a few moments that everyone else realised that Rukia was actually hugging the captain and not trying to murder her.

* * *

><p>Caught beneath Kuchiki's body, Yuki was wondering what was going to happen next. Surprise after surprise kept coming her way, and all she had been planning to do was get to know her Division and, hopefully, become a respected captain of the Gotei 13. She was naturally a distant person and normally found it more difficult to talk to people in a familiar way, often pushing them back with cold words or glares. However, despite that, she'd been chosen to become a captain and she took that very seriously.<p>

Most shinigami wouldn't recognise her, and that was mainly because she'd been away on a long-term solo mission that she'd only recently completed. The assignment had turned into a solo one when the other four shinigami who'd decided to accompany her had been killed on the third day. It was but one of the reasons she was uncomfortable around other people.

'Rukia! I don't think she can breathe,' Rangiku wasn't exactly correct, but the general outcome was still about the same.

Kuchiki stood up and grinned at everyone, 'See! She thinks they're okay,'

'She was probably just being nice,' Nanao said as she turned a page in her thick book

'What was that?' Rukia leered over the seated Lieutenant, eyes glittering.

'Nothing!' the startled woman replied quickly.

Yuki got to her feet with natural grace, not marred by the fact that she'd recently been lying on the ground in a heap, and turned to Nemu, 'Can you open the door?'

Green eyes turned and gazed at Yachiru, waiting for her command. Rangiku quickly leaned forwards and whispered something into the pink haired shinigami's ear.

Yachiru's eyes widened and she leaned forwards, 'No! I want Snow-chan to give me the special candy!'

Yuki glanced at Matsumoto and the woman opened her eyes wide innocently, coming up beside her and passing her a candy packet secretly. Suppressing a sigh, the captain walked over and handed Yachiru the sweets.

'I've never seen one of these before!' the pink haired girl scampered around until she found a suitable place to sit and eat.

It wasn't that hard to work out why the candy obsessed girl hadn't seen that specific variety before – Matsumoto had scribbled pink hearts all over the small white sweets.

Nanao's eyebrows shot up and she raced over to Matsumoto, 'Is that from the World of the Living?' when Rangiku nodded, she continued, 'Is it even safe to eat permanent pen? I'm assuming you got one of them in the Human World too,'

'Don't worry,' Rangiku waved away her concern, 'I'm sure she's eaten worse,'

Looking over at the President, no one could disagree.

* * *

><p>After much struggle and being forced to promise that she'd come next time, Yuki had managed to extricate herself from the meeting room and, as she walked outside, she realised that it was well and truly night. Sighing, she used quick shunpo to take herself to the Third Division barracks.<p>

_For the first day, _she thought wryly, _That was quite something._

* * *

><p>When Matsumoto walked into the office some time later, she found her captain asleep at his desk, so, instead of returning to the barracks, she lay down on one of the couches and sighed. The day had been long and <em>a lot <em>had happened. Thoughts drifting to Captain Kanashimi, she thought that, contrastingly to the shinigami's name, she seemed quite, for lack of a better word, dark. Still, Rangiku couldn't wait to get to know her.

Smiling, she drifted off to sleep.

* * *

><p>Author's Note:<p>

I'm not actually sure whether all of that could be physically achieved in one day, but oh well . . .


	4. Chapter 4: Mission in the Dangai

_Chapter 4: Mission in the Dangai_

The next morning Toshiro was hardly surprised to see Matsumoto still asleep on his couch. And he didn't even _want _to think about what the Association had been doing the previous night.

'Matsumoto,' at the sound of her captain's voice, Rangiku sat up and turned around.

'Yes Captain?' she asked, stretching.

'Take these to the Fifth Division,' the white haired shinigami gestured to a stack of completed paperwork, 'But don't take any detours on the way back,'

'Don't be so mean!' Matsumoto protested as she hurried out of the room carrying the pile of documents.

Twitching, Toshiro knew that it'd probably be some time before he saw her again, so he might as well get on with the next lot of work.

* * *

><p>Matsumoto couldn't believe her luck – her captain given her papers to deliver and that meant stopping into all sorts of places. Hurrying through the streets, she failed to notice that there was someone coming around the next corner at the same time as she was.<p>

There was a crash and paper flew everywhere.

Looking around, Rangiku spotted Kira lying flat on his back and not looking like he was going anywhere. As she gathered all the documents together again, she walked up to him.

'What's wrong this time?' her tone was cheerily comforting.

'Nothing,' Izuru slowly got to his feet, 'I was just looking for two of the Division members who appear to have wondered off during yesterday's party,'

'Really?' understanding now that he wasn't actually feeling sad and just looked like it, Rangiku waved with her one free hand and then hurried onwards.

Izuru stood for a moment before walking onwards, back around the corner and straight into his captain.

Yuki jumped aside as her Lieutenant swerved out from around the building, glad that she'd been looking for his reiatsu.

The blonde man looked up and almost jerked in surprise, 'Sorry, Captain!'

'Kira, you can come back to the offices now, those two returned a few minutes ago,' as the pair began to walk back the way Yuki had come, Izuru suddenly remembered something.

'Ah,' he nodded, 'You're lucky you didn't arrive a second earlier,' at the captain's questioning look, he elaborated, 'Matsumoto was there,'

Despite not having known the strawberry blonde woman for very long at all, Yuki _was _glad that she'd missed her, or else they'd never have gotten back.

'I see,' then she gestured to the offices, 'We're going to one of the training rooms, I want to see how proficient the members are in zanjutsu,'

'Right!' the Lieutenant tried to look on the optimistic side of things, but in this case all he could think was 'I hope everyone's recovered from the party or else they're all going to be terrible'.

* * *

><p>Looking at the crowded inside of the training room, Yuki definitely believed that a larger space was necessary. She knew that the Third Division, like all the others, had an open training ground so that's where she decided to take everyone.<p>

'Could someone please show me where the training ground is?' she already knew, having studied a map of the Seireitei most dutifully, but she wanted to help everyone relax a bit more.

'I will. It's this way,' one of the very few women Division members spoke out, a tentative smile on her face, 'My name's Haruko,'

Nodding, Yuki ordered everyone to follow her and walked beside the girl herself, Izuru hurrying along behind them.

'I hope it'll be open,' the dark haired shinigami murmured.

'Don't worry, it is,' someone else called from the group, 'I saw it earlier today,'

Yuki was glad that at least two shinigami had begun to relax around her slightly. Her appearance did often cause enemies to underestimate her and allies to not put their trust in her, but she couldn't exactly change that very easily. She couldn't help when she'd die –

The sudden fluctuation in what reiatsu Izuru could sense from his captain made him jump slightly and turn to her, 'Are you alright?'

'I'm fine,' turning to him, she nodded, quickly stabilising her reiatsu and suppressing it further.

'Okay,' blue eyes still showed concern, but the Lieutenant let the matter pass, then he brightened, 'Look! We're here,'

'Get started then, I'm looking forward to seeing what you can do,' Yuki curved her lips upwards slightly, but, as usual, she didn't smile. Still, the small movement caused some stares as the gathered shinigami drew their zanpakuto.

* * *

><p>'Kyaaah,' the sounds of a mock battle drifted up to the Third Division captain as she watched the sparring going on below. To her satisfaction, Yuki had found that Kira had kept everyone's combat skills honed and that the group was strong.<p>

Suddenly a jigokucho fluttered over, the butterfly stopping in front of the captain.

'Gotei 13, Third Division, emergency! Emergency!' Yuki's eyes sharpened into focus as she listened, 'Menos have appeared in the Dangai at Area 0035. They are currently passing through it and are heading directly for Soul Society. There are thirty of them,'

'Everyone!' the captains' voice carried easily, 'Listen up,'

'The Third Division is to exterminate all of the menos who have infiltrated the Dangai. Complete your preparations with all haste and mobilise immediately,'

'What?' one of the shinigami exclaimed, 'That can't be right!'

'We have our orders, let's go,' everyone shouted out in agreement and the group began to move out.

'I'll go ask for the Koryu to be shut down!' Haruko turned and raced off, using a mix of shunpo and random running to carry her away.

Arriving at the doors that would allow them access to the Dangai, Yuki gestured for Kira to direct the squad as she wanted to see how he'd been leading them since Ichimaru's betrayal.

'Right!' Izuru was absolutely determined to show his new captain that he was a capable Lieutenant, 'Split into platoons of four per enemy,' his eyes narrowed slightly, 'We're going up against menos, so be careful,' spinning around, he jumped through the gates, 'Let's go!'

* * *

><p>Inside the Dangai, the shinigami raced forwards, seeking out the massive Hollows. Yuki followed Izuru and kept a close watch on all of the Division members. Her gaze locked on a harsh white hand as one of the menos moved around a corner.<p>

'Here they come!' Izuru shouted, 'Platoons, move into position,'

The captain paused and watched as the group split and used shunpo to begin advancing on the menos. Lavender eyes flicking to her Lieutenant, Yuki watched as Kira raised his katana.

'Raise your head, Wabisuke!' there was a few jerking movements of the zanpakuto's blade, and then the released Wabisuke was slashing through the first menos grande.

As the other platoons began to fell the giant Hollows, and scarlet cero blasts lit up the dark passageway, Izuru called out again, 'Everyone, we're getting there! Keep at it!'

As the groups called out a 'yes sir!' the ground started vibrating.

Everyone looked around in surprise as the Koryu appeared again and began to move as usual.

'The Koryu,' Izuru was frozen in shock, like most of the other Division members.

'No way! What's going on?' one of the shinigami, who'd previously been very suspicious of the new captain, cried out.

A sudden gold light began emanating from further on in the Dangai and there were a few gasps of recognition, 'Retreat!'

As the Kototsu came into full view 'cleaning' away the menos, everyone turned and began running back towards the gateway, Izuru yelling, 'Hurry!' as loud as he could.

One of the shinigami at the rear suddenly cried, 'It's too late! We won't make it!'

And it looked like he was just about right.

* * *

><p>Yuki stood some distance from the others and waited patiently. She'd decided to pull back and let Kira handle this one on his own as she'd sensed his intense desire to prove himself worthy of his position.<p>

However, when the flow of the Koryu began again, her dark eyebrows raised and she began to move back toward where she sensed the group. Then the captain felt the Kototsu rumbling along towards her Division and her eyes widened.

* * *

><p>Author's Note:<p>

More similarities to the Amagai Arc . . .


	5. Chapter 5: Kototsu

_Chapter 5: Koto__tsu_

Izuru was saying his final goodbyes to life and everything included with it, when there was a flash of white and the sound of a quick light tread.

Glancing forwards, he watched as Captain Kanashimi leapt over the group and stood with her back to them. Everyone paused and wondered what the shinigami was going to do as they all knew that it was virtually impossible to destroy to Kototsu.

'Captain Kanashimi,' Izuru began, moving forwards, but she held out her arm to stop him.

'Stay back,' her voice was cool and collected, but she made no move to draw her zanpakuto or run, even as the Kototsu neared her.

'That's insane!' the shinigami wasn't sure what his captain had planned, but even thinking about facing the cleaner was ridiculous.

'I said that as long as I'm your captain, I'll protect you,' despite the gasps and murmurs behind her, Yuki stood her ground and focused, trying not to let her mind wander for a second. If she lost concentration, they'd probably all die.

When the Kototsu was only a few metres away, Captain Kanashimi spoke, 'Bakudo 81. Danku,'

Izuru watched as the kido barrier went up, unsure whether or not the Kototsu could really be stopped by _anything_. Most likely he should begin his farewells again.

* * *

><p>To everyone's shock, the Kototsu met the barrier and stopped. Completely.<p>

'C-captain?' the shinigami was rather sorry that he'd previously doubted her.

The Third Division captain looked through her fringe at the Kototsu, eyes shaded. With a small, almost non-existent movement of her arm, the barrier dissipated. As the cleaner began moving forwards again, she held out pale fingers.

There was an intake of breath as the Kototsu touched the captain's hands as everyone knew it was impossible to escape the Koryu current. But Kanashimi wasn't pushed back or sucked inwards. It was just like time had frozen for the briefest of moments.

'Hado 73. Soren Sokatsui,'

The flash of blue light that resulted was almost enough to blind the on looking shinigami, and the force of the kido send a few of them tumbling backwards, missing the Koryu walls of the Dangai by inches.

* * *

><p>When the light faded from their eyes, the members of the Third Division realised that the Kototsu had been destroyed completely.<p>

_She didn't use incantations for either of those kido_, Izuru was shocked but glad that he'd survived, _How powerful _is_ our new captain?_

Captain Kanashimi turned around and surveyed her Division, walking over to Haruko, she asked, 'Are you absolutely certain you asked for the Koryu to be shut down?'

'Absolutely,' the woman looked almost scared.

'I see,' the captain walked onwards a little further, 'I'll talk to someone from the Department of Research and Development about this,' suddenly Yuki paused, 'Is anyone injured?'

'N-no!' a large man replied, still unable to believe what had just happened.

'Okay,' the captain turned to her Lieutenant, 'Kira?'

'Yes sir?' Izuru wasn't sure if he should call the new captain 'sir' but, by force of habit, it just slipped out, and she didn't look concerned.

'You make a worthy leader,' Yuki's eyes were closed as she spoke, 'That's what I'd expect from someone who kept his division together without a captain,'

Izuru was suddenly very uncomfortable as it wasn't often that he got praised for much at all, 'No, it was nothing,'

As Yuki walked past him, she sensed his discomfort and changed the subject, 'I'm glad everyone's okay. Let's go back now,'

Izuru walked through the Division members just in time to hear someone say, 'She's something else, ain't she?' and then another person reply, 'You said it,'

Glad that the Division was beginning to see Captain Kanashimi in a new light, Izuru hurried after her.

* * *

><p>When a jigokucho landed on Toshiro's desk and he listened to its message, turquoise eyes widened in surprise.<p>

_The Kototsu was destroyed during the fight with the menos?_ he'd heard about the Hollows in the Dangai, but this news about the cleaner was so much more interesting.

Matsumoto wandered over to him and intercepted the black butterfly on its path to the window. Pale blue eyes widened as she too heard the news before letting the messenger fly away.

'Destroyed?' Rangiku knew that the Kototsu was virtually impossible to stop, let along destroy – Aizen had managed it, that was true, but he'd been aided by the power of the Hogyoku – she leant forwards, 'Who did it?'

Toshiro wasn't sure himself but the only real answer was Kanashimi. Still, he wanted to be sure.

Turning to Matsumoto, the white haired captain said, 'I'm going to the Department of Research and Development. Don't destroy anything or make a mess,'

'Sure thing Captain,' his Lieutenant was already sprawled on the couch with a bottle of sake, wondering how she could get Izuru or Hisagi to come drink with her.

Sighing and trying not to start twitching, Toshiro turned and left the room.

* * *

><p>'Captain Hitsugaya! What a pleasant surprise,' Kurotsuchi Mayuri, Captain of the Twelfth Division and the President of the Department of Research and Development, bared his teeth in a wide golden smile before spinning around and walking into the Twelfth Division, beckoning the young captain, 'We're receiving a lot of unexpected guests today, right Nemu?'<p>

The quiet shinigami nodded as she passed, carrying a tray with a tea set balancing on it. Green eyes slid briefly over Toshiro's face before she vanished around a corner.

Spinning around to face the other captain again, Mayuri stared at him with wide eyes, looking almost maniacal, 'So what did you want to ask?'

The harsh voice of the other captain made Toshiro uncomfortable, but then again, he didn't think anyone was comfortable when in the scientist's presence.

'How was the Kototsu destroyed?' still following Kurotsuchi, Toshiro got straight to the point, knowing that sometimes the man could talk for days.

'Soren Sokatsui,' turning once more, the captain surveyed Hitsugaya carefully before adding, 'After being stopped by Danku,' and then he marched forwards again dramatically.

Toshiro couldn't help but feel surprised. He could hardly believe what Kurotsuchi had just said and the man was walking so fast that he almost had to run to keep up.

'How could the cleaner be stopped with kido?' the young captain asked when Mayuri finally stopped walking, 'Who did it?'

As he opened one of the many doors leading off the corridor, Mayuri pointed with one long-nailed finger, 'Her,'

* * *

><p>Toshiro looked into the bright room and almost froze when he saw Captain Kanashimi drinking tea and talking to Nemu. Both women turned to the door when it opened, Nemu hurriedly pouring more tea, and then the Twelfth Division captain walked in and sat down at the table.<p>

'So, Kanashimi,' the scientist turned his stare on the Third Division captain, 'What did _you _want to ask me about?'

'Why did the Koryu currents begin flowing again?' Yuki watched the man's black and white painted face expressionlessly.

'A technical failure with the device which stops the currents,' somehow Kurotsuchi didn't seem at all concerned, and he hadn't stopped smiling.

'I see,' lavender eyes closed as she sipped the warm drink.

Toshiro walked into the room and asked, 'About the Kototsu-,'

Mayuri cut him off before he could finish, 'It's gone. But don't worry, there'll be another one coming along sooner or later,' seeing the white haired captain's agitated glare, he continued, 'The strength of Danku was enough to temporarily halt the cleaner, and then the force of Soren Sokatsui was powerful enough to destroy it,' glaring at the Tenth Division captain, Mayuri ended in a snap, 'There's nothing more to it!'

'Thank you, Kurotsuchi,' Yuki stood and turned to Nemu, 'Could you show me to the door?'

'Captain Kanashimi, Captain Hitsugaya,' Nemu addressed both guests, 'Please follow me,'

As they walked out of the rather foreboding building and into the afternoon sunlight, Nemu grasped Yuki's arm, 'Captain,' she leant forwards, 'There's an Association meeting tonight. President Yachiru wants to see you,'

Wondering how she was going to get out of this one, the Third Division captain just nodded and bid the Lieutenant farewell.

Once Nemu had gone back inside, Yuki sighed heavily.

Toshiro couldn't help but ask what was wrong, as normally those types of sighs meant something was seriously problematic.

'The Shinigami Women's Association,' Yuki felt her lips twitch in amusement, 'They've got a meeting tonight and I'm supposed to go,' remembering some of the conversation she'd overheard Matsumoto having with Hinamori on her first day as captain, she wasn't sure it was in her best interests to go to any of the meetings.

Toshiro saw the faint look that suggested a strong desire for self-preservation in Kanashimi's purple eyes and blinked, 'Is something incredibly bad going to happen if you do go?'

Glancing at the shorter shinigami, Yuki spoke truthfully, 'Well, judging on what Lieutenants Matsumoto and Hinamori were discussing the other day, yes,'

'Do I _want_ to know what might happen?' Toshiro's tone suggested that he didn't, and he had a very good reason too.

'No,' sensing Izuru's reiatsu suddenly, Yuki frowned ever so slightly, 'Hitsugaya, the Tenth Division offices are that way, and the Third Division offices are that way,' as she pointed, Toshiro nodded, wondering what she was about to say, 'So then why is my Lieutenant in the Tenth Division?'

As Toshiro himself frowned darkly, he realised that, like himself, Kanashimi didn't seem to use titles very often, but that wasn't the most important thought in his mind at that particular moment.

'Matsumoto!' forgetting about the Third Division captain, Toshiro vanished with shunpo, dreading what he'd find in his office.

* * *

><p>Author's Note:<p>

So that's about the end of any similarities to the Amagai Arc.


	6. Chapter 6: An Unusual Request

_Chapter 6: An Unusual Request_

'More,' Rangiku held out her bowl and Kira dutifully filled it. The strawberry blonde downed the liquid in one gulp and then glanced across at Hisagi who was already passed out on the floor, giggling at his expression.

Izuru was trying to work out how he could escape Rangiku's clutches and get back to his Division, but he couldn't come up with anything. The problem with Matsumoto was that she could drink and drink without falling unconscious, but then, usually very suddenly, she'd just fall asleep.

Feeling a sudden gust of air that was a little bit too cold for mid-Autumn, Izuru froze.

'Matsumoto,' the deadly sound made the blonde man flinch and put down the sake bottle quickly.

Izuru was shaking in terror by the time Toshiro walked into the room, followed by Kanashimi who had decided to go to the Tenth Division offices too, just in case her Lieutenant really _was _there.

'I'm sorry! She kidnapped me! I couldn't stop her,' Kira was wailing as Toshiro glared at him.

In reality, the white haired captain was only mad at one of the shinigami in the room, but since Matsumoto had passed out perfectly on time as he entered, Izuru was the next best option.

The cowering man suddenly sensed a flicker of his captain's reiatsu and he stood straight and turned towards the woman, 'I'm sorry Captain,' he managed to say before fainting.

* * *

><p>Toshiro was trying very, very hard to control his anger. Matsumoto was still asleep at the table, Hisagi on the floor, and Kira against the wall, and the whole room was a mess.<p>

_On the bright side, at least they didn'__t do all of this in my office, _the white haired captain thought forcefully.

Yuki walked into the room, over the light layer of frost, and knelt beside her Lieutenant, 'Kira?'

Distantly, Izuru heard his captain's voice and then his eyes flicked open. Sitting bolt upright, he began trying to apologise again until a hand covered his eyes and he fell into peaceful unconsciousness.

Toshiro watched Kanashimi use kido on Izuru and then stand, supporting the Lieutenant.

As she began walking out of the room, Yuki paused and said, 'Is there anything else you require, Hitsugaya?'

'No, I'll send for someone to take Hisagi back to the Ninth Division and then deal with Matsumoto later,' his tone was heavy.

'I see,' for some reason, the white haired captain got the distinct impression that Kanashimi found the whole event a bit troublesome, but, at the same time, there was a hint of amusement in her tone.

'Sorry for Matsumoto's behaviour,' Toshiro found himself saying the same thing again and hoped it wasn't going to become a habit.

Thinking along those same lines, Yuki paused and glanced back at him, 'If it happens again, I'll just imagine you saying that so you don't have to bother,'

Using shunpo, she vanished with her Lieutenant and Toshiro was left with two drunk and unconscious shinigami and the start of a headache. Not only was he angry, but now he was also vexed by the Third Division captain.

Sighing, Toshiro walked out of the room and into his office, trying to forget about anything that troubled him.

* * *

><p>Hinamori Momo stared at the blank reports that, as Lieutenant of the Fifth Division, she had to complete in the place of Aizen Sosuke. When he'd betrayed the Soul Society, she'd been devastated, but now she could see the truth of things and her mind was clear. Aizen had caused everyone in the Soul Society so much pain.<p>

_Still,__ that's straying from the point_, Momo thought, picking up the finger thick stack of paperwork. She couldn't work out why there wasn't so much more of it, as she knew most of the other captains had piles and piles of documents to fill out.

As she glanced up from the desk, she saw a flutter of black hair and the white of a haori. Despite knowing that Captains Unohana, Kuchiki and Soifon also had black hair, Momo believed that the captain who just walked past was Kanashimi.

Rushing out of the offices and into the street, Momo raced after the shinigami, relieved to see the Third Division symbol on the back of the sleeveless haori.

The captain sensed her coming, and turned around, glancing at the flustered girl.

'Sorry, Captain Kanashimi!' Momo bowed deeply, 'I just thought I'd greet you personally. My name is Hinamori Momo and I'm the Lieutenant of the Fifth Division. It's a pleasure to meet you,'

Despite knowing exactly who she was speaking to, as well as some of the 'wonderful things' that the shinigami had been planning with Matsumoto to do to her, Yuki answered politely, 'It's nice to meet you too,'

When Momo looked up there was a strange gleam in her eyes, 'Captain,' she drew the word out, 'Are you coming to the Association meeting tonight?'

Feeling suspicious, the captain nodded.

'Good,' for such an innocent looking girl, the tone she was using just didn't match up, 'I look forward to seeing you there,' as she turned to go, Momo suddenly realised something, 'Oh! Captain!' Yuki paused, and the Lieutenant continued, 'If you see Shiro-chan, would you tell him that he's dead?'

Not waiting for an answer, the cheerful girl turned and skipped back to the Fifth Division.

Yuki stared after her in confusion. She knew she wasn't good with people, but the Lieutenant's behaviour was well out of her understanding.

_So, _she thought as she continued walking, _The Association meeting tonight will be dangerous, _she paused her line of thought, _And I'm supposed to tell someone that they're dead? Well, we're all dea-_

Cutting the thought in two by force of will, Yuki changed her line of thinking, _And who's Shiro-chan?_

* * *

><p>'Kanashimi!' Ukitake was quite surprised when the new captain of the Third Division turned up in his quite little house away from all the bustle of daily life in the Seireitei. She looked like she had questions, and he remembered saying she could ask him anything, smiling, the man invited her inside, 'Come in, I'll get some tea,'<p>

As they sat and Jushiro poured hot liquid into delicate cups, he glanced up at the quiet shinigami, 'So, what did you want to ask?'

Yuki paused, her usual uncertainty with people making her cautious, looking up at the white haired captain through her dark hair, she asked, 'Has Hinamori had a change in personality lately?'

The reports she's read on the Lieutenant hadn't mentioned anything about her having a mischievous grin or being so out-spoken.

'Actually, you're right,' Ukitake wondered slightly about the question, but he answered anyway, 'Ever since you arrived yesterday, she's been acting quite different to usual,'

The other captain nodded and then asked her next question as she sipped the tea, 'Who's Shiro-chan?'

'Shiro-chan?' the Thirteenth Division captain was now very surprised, 'I guess that could be me or,' he trailed off, suddenly seeing the look on Kanashimi's face, 'What's wrong?'

Yuki stared at the concerned face before her and silently wondered how she'd deliver Hinamori's message.

Casting aside her hesitation, she spoke in her usual, rather calm and cool tone, 'You're dead,'

* * *

><p>Author's Note:<p>

The power of misinterpretation and things lost in transmission . . .


	7. Chapter 7: Shinigami Women's Association

_Chapter 7: Shinigami Women'__s Association = Danger_

Toshiro was walking around the Seireitei looking for Matsumoto – the woman had disappeared as soon as she'd woken up – when Unohana appeared before him.

'Would you please take this to Captain Ukitake? It's some medicine for him,' the smiling captain handed him a package and then walked off.

Sighing, Toshiro used shunpo to arrive at Ukitake's house in his family estate, arriving to hear the sounds of tea being prepared.

Walking closer, he realised that Ukitake must have a guest, as the captain seemed to be talking to someone.

His eyebrows raised when he heard the word 'Hinamori', and then he blinked in shock when he heard 'Shiro-chan'. Suddenly realising that it was Kanashimi talking, he continued onwards quickly, arriving at the door to hear Ukitake say 'Shiro-chan' could be him or, what Toshiro assumed would have been, Hitsugaya, then the other captain saying 'you're dead' in a very flat tone.

Toshiro slid open the door just as Ukitake dropped his teacup in surprise, the delicate vessel shattering upon impact and spreading tea across the table, and then opened and closed his mouth a few times looking rather like the koi in his pond.

Noticing that he had another guest, Jushiro blinked and tried to sort himself out as he probably wasn't making a very good impression at the moment. Turning to Toshiro, he wondered how he was supposed to explain everything.

'Sorry to interrupt,' Toshiro moved further into the room, 'But may I ask what you were talking about?'

Kanashimi flicked her gaze to his and said, 'Hinamori asked me to tell a _Shiro-chan _that they were dead,' and her tone was absolutely indifferent despite the darkening in her eyes.

'I see,' Toshiro was trying hard not to smile, 'It seems that there's been a misunderstanding. If it was Hinamori saying that, then she'd probably be directing it at _me_,' he paused, 'I bet it's because I made her and Matsumoto leave the office the other day. She's been acting suspiciously lately,'

'We've noticed too,' Ukitake seemed to have recovered and was now back to his usual smiling self, 'I think it's because of some plan Matsumoto's devised and made her part of,' noticing how Kanashimi paled, he asked, 'What's wrong?'

'Nothing,' she murmured, 'But I think the Association has some _plans_ that I wouldn't want to get caught up in,'

Glancing at the window, and realising that it was twilight, Jushiro sat up straight. Putting on a paternal voice, he said, 'Now, it looks like it's getting dark so you two should go to bed. Children need more sleep than adults,'

Toshiro twitched and leaned towards the occasionally infuriating man, 'What was that?'

Seeing the frost appearing on his floor, Jushiro decided that it would be better _not _to repeat himself, so he simply said, 'Goodnight,'

Sighing, the other white haired captain turned and left, calling out a farewell to Ukitake, then Yuki stood and politely excused herself, thanking Jushiro for his help.

As he was left alone, Ukitake couldn't help but think that the girl seemed to be constantly sorrowful, and noted that, despite her mistake in delivering the strange message, she hadn't even blinked.

* * *

><p>'Hinamori,' Toshiro knocked on the door to the Fifth Division captain's office, 'I'm coming in,'<p>

'Shiro-chan!' the Lieutenant leapt up from the desk and ran over, smiling hugely and not looking suspicious at all.

'What did you do to Kanashimi?' the captain got straight to the point.

'Oh yes,' Momo flushed slightly, 'That was a bit forward of me, wasn't it?' she sighed, 'I just wanted you to come so that I could scold you for kicking me out of your office the other day,' she grabbed his shihakusho and shook him, 'I'm your childhood friend! We're like siblings! You can't do that to me,'

'Sorry, Matsumoto was the main problem,' sitting down on one of the chairs, Toshiro sighed, 'Another question,' Momo came over to sit opposite him, a questioning look on her face, 'What's the Association _planning _to do to Kanashimi?'

'You're awfully concerned,' the Lieutenant teased, then she grinned, looking quite wicked again, 'Nothing anyway,'

'Ukitake was worried too,' Toshiro mentioned the captain knowing that Hinamori respected him greatly, probably slightly more so than the other captains except Unohana.

'Really?' she sounded uncertain, as if she wasn't sure about going through with whatever idea they had, 'Well, I can't tell you,'

'Just think of Ukitake's face when he learns how mischievous you've become, Hinamori,' Toshiro spoke in such a regretful tone, secretly enjoying himself.

'Oh,' Momo sounded devastated, wondering if the person who'd always been kind to her, visited her when she was injured, and given her presents – albeit strange ones – at random times, was going to think she was a mean shinigami.

'Well, be sure to apologise to him if something interesting happens,' Toshiro sighed deeply, 'He looked like he found Kanashimi quite endearing,'

'The Association was going to take Captain Kanashimi to the World of the Living and make her shop and do human things for a few days and then take her to the beach and make her enjoy herself because she always seems so sad and distant even when she's not – which doesn't really make sense, but we all thought so and even Unohana agreed to give us a sedative. It was all going to be fu-,' Momo started coughing and taking long gasping breaths, unable to finish what she was saying in only a single breath, 'Fun,'

Toshiro found that he was now incredibly concerned about the situation as all of the things Momo had just mentioned sounded rather worrying, leaning forwards slightly, he tapped the Lieutenant's bowed head, 'When were you going to do that?'

Looking up at him nervously, the Lieutenant squeaked, 'Tonight,' then, as the white haired captain rushed to the door, she added, 'Because all the stores in the Human World stay open for ages and we thought it would be a nice surprise!'

* * *

><p>Racing through the Seireitei, Toshiro was silently bothered by the fact that Kanashimi emitted little reiatsu, because it made her incredibly hard to find, smothered by the many other spiritual pressures around the place.<p>

He didn't know exactly why he _was _worried in the first place, but, despite not knowing the new captain very well, he was pretty sure that what the Association had planned wasn't her idea of a holiday.

_I know that Kira for one will be horrified if the captain suddenly disappears, _Toshiro thought, _He'd probably go insane._

Suddenly he sensed a slight flicker of the dark reiatsu and moved towards it, arriving just as what appeared to be Nemu, dragged Kanashimi through a wall.

_Oh dear, _now, despite not knowing how it became his responsibility, Toshiro was very concerned, _How am I supposed to help now?_

* * *

><p>When she was pulled through a secret doorway and into one of the Association's rooms, Yuki was surprised. At that precise moment, she'd sensed Hitsugaya's reiatsu and had been about to turn and see why.<p>

Now, looking around at the waiting members of the Shinigami Women's Association, she couldn't help but feel a little concerned.

Kuchiki Rukia wasn't there, but everyone else was, and they looked expectant. Suddenly another door slid open and Captain Unohana Retsu stepped through.

'Chairwoman,' everyone addressed her politely and Yuki realised she must be the supervising chairwoman of the Association.

'Here you go,' the kind faced captain handed her Lieutenant, Kotetsu Isane, a package, 'Have a good night, all of you,'

As she turned and left, Isane undid the package and produced a needle like object, glittering with a pale green liquid.

Now _very _concerned, Yuki glanced at the other Association members.

There was a pause and then Soifon, a captain known for her agility and speed, used shunpo to vanish from where she'd been standing and appear behind Kanashimi, aiming a kick at her shoulder. Surprising everyone, Yuki leaned backwards, dodging the blow, and then used her own shunpo to retreat to one corner of the room.

'You shouldn't have sealed yourself in like that,' Matsumoto laughed, advancing on the captain, 'We'll catch you for sure,'

'Bakudo 4. Hainawa,' raising her hands, Yuki released the glowing ball of yellow light. The tendril of kido wrapped around all of the shinigami except Soifon, who'd used shunpo to dodge it, and Hinamori, who'd used her own kido to negate it.

'You're pretty serious,' Matsumoto struggled to break free but the power the low-level kido spell had was surprising, 'You don't even know what we're trying to do,'

'I don't think I want to,' thinking fast, Yuki realised that the only way she could get out would be to break down a wall, or get one of them to open a hidden door.

'It was going to be so fun,' Momo was still sad over the whole event, 'I was looking forward to it,'

'Me too,' a few of the others agreed, Isane tapping the needle against her palm.

'What _were _you planning to do?' eyes flicking to the Lieutenant of the Fourth Division and the utensil she was holding, Yuki frowned slightly.

'Kidnap you and take you to the World of the Living,'

Everyone froze and blinked in surprise when they heard a voice that was definitely _not _female. Turning as best they could with the kido restraints still around them, the members of the Shinigami Women's Association watched as Hitsugaya Toshiro walked through a neatly cut hole in the wall, followed by Kuchiki Byakuya and Rukia.

'C-captain,' Matsumoto was guilty and she glanced accusingly at Momo, who hid her face in her hands, 'What are you doing? This is a Shinigami _Women's _Association meeting, you know,'

'All of you, leave,' Byakuya's cold, stoic voice made some of the shinigami jump, slate gray eyes flicked open and the captain continued, 'Now,'

Releasing the kido that was binding the shinigami women, Yuki stepped aside as they all filed out one of the secret doors, only Matsumoto staying behind.

'You ruin all our fun! Captain Unohana's going to be mad the next time you see her so don't get injured before she forgives you!' after receiving a particularly cold group of stares, Rangiku turned and left as well, shouting out her words dramatically.

Byakuya watched silently as the door slid shut before resuming his passive appearance. Rukia peeked around the door and saw Yuki standing in the corner, eyes still where the opening had been as if she expected someone to come back in and try to attack her again. The shinigami was about to speak when there was a soft swish sound and then the Third Division captain flinched violently.

A sudden silent moment preceded mad yells as the Women's Association raced in through all kinds of doors – including one in the floor – and leapt towards Yuki. The woman's lavender eyes widened fractionally and she raised her hands as if she was about to defend herself again.

'Scatter, Senbonzakura,'

'Aaaargh!' screaming now, the female shinigami scattered once more and vanished.

Byakuya sheathed his zanpakuto and was about to say something when, rather abruptly, Kanashimi fell forwards, clearly unconscious.

'Oh, the sedative,' Rukia mumbled, earning her two stares, 'Unohana devised it. Even if Captain Kanashimi has a tolerance to normal sleeping drugs, that one was sure to knock her out,'

'I can't believe it,' Toshiro sighed, 'And it's not like I can get Matsumoto to take her back to the Third Division,'

'Excuse me,' a voice from behind them made the trio turn, eyes falling on a nervous looking Kira, 'Is my captain here?'

Stepping aside and revealing the sleeping captain, Rukia said, 'Yes, did you come to take her back?'

'That's right,' suddenly Izuru's eyes rolled back and he fell flat on his face, a light snore telling everyone else that he was sleeping.

'I guess they got him too,' Rukia couldn't help but chuckle.

'We have to go,' Byakuya said suddenly, talking to Rukia, 'The rest of the Kuchiki family wanted to see how you're progressing,'

'I almost forgot!' paling slightly, the shinigami rushed from the room.

'My apologies,' the Sixth Division captain turned and began walking away, 'Could you deal with this?'

Toshiro nodded, despite knowing he had no choice in the situation, and sighed once both of them were out of sight.

Glancing down at Izuru, he knelt down and shook the Lieutenant hard. The only response was a muffled mumble and a twitch of muscles.

Frown deepening, the white haired captain moved over to do the same to Kanashimi, ignoring her captain's status and shaking her hard.

To his surprise, pale violet eyes flashed open and the shinigami stood and drew her zanpakuto in one smooth movement, the tip resting against his forehead.

* * *

><p>Taking a step backwards and raising an arm to cover her eyes, Yuki sheathed her zanpakuto. Her mind was having trouble functioning because of the drug Isane had secretly administered and her vision was cloudy.<p>

Sensing reiatsu, the captain realised that her Lieutenant and Hitsugaya were also in the room and recognised the fact that only one of them was conscious.

Lowering her sleeve, she tried to focus her eyes and finally was able to see the Tenth Division captain's form kneeling on the ground, light surprise showing on his face. Guessing that she'd been pointing her blade at him, she couldn't help but frown.

This was her _second _day as a captain, and already things were getting complicated. _Why _had she ever decided to introduce herself to the Women's Association? All that seemed to have come from it so far was trouble.

'Sorry,' losing her balance again, the captain moved over to lean against a wall.

Toshiro finally snapped out of his frozen state and stood up, realising that, apart from being unstable on her feet, the other captain seemed to be having trouble seeing properly. Wondering just _what _Unohana had concocted, he glanced at the still snoring Izuru and rubbed his face tiredly.

'No, it's okay,' walking over to the Lieutenant, Toshiro put the man's arm over his shoulder and rose, supporting Izuru's sleeping form, 'Are you alright?'

'Fine,' Yuki managed to clear her vision and watched as Hitsugaya turned to walk out the door, waiting just outside, 'You don't want me to take him?'

'I'll do it,' as the black haired captain walked over, she stumbled multiple times, always regaining her balance at the last moment, Toshiro's eyes narrowed slightly, 'You look like you could use some help yourself,'

Yuki couldn't help but blink at the concern in his tone, unable to clearly see his face, she couldn't work out if he was mocking her or not. The Third Division captain leant on the doorway, eyes losing focus again so that Hitsugaya was only a shadowy blur. She knew it was night and she could feel a slight breeze coming from her left as if there was a door there that opened to the outside world.

'Are you sure you're okay?' Toshiro wasn't sure why exactly the captain was just standing in the doorway, a complicated expression on her pale face.

'Of course,' Yuki walked from the room and began moving towards the open door, sensing that Hitsugaya followed.

As they stepped into the open air, Toshiro sensed the other captain relax slightly and he almost sighed as they continued on towards the Third Division.

* * *

><p>Author's Note:<p>

Everyone sounds like they're having so much fun!


	8. Chapter 8: Meeting

_Chapter 8: Meeting_

Yuki was struggling. The sedative of Unohana's was powerful and unlike any other she'd come across before. The captain had been exposed to many poisons and sleeping drugs when she'd been on her mission, and had built up a tolerance to most of them. However, whatever the captain of the Fourth Division had given her Lieutenant to dose her with was not usual at all.

Looking around at her surroundings, Yuki realised that they were still a while from the Third Division barracks, but that the Tenth Division ones weren't too far to the right.

Stopping, the captain turned, slightly cloudy eyes seeking out Hitsugaya and her Lieutenant, 'I should take Kira, your offices are close,'

Toshiro could hardly process what he'd just heard, stopping, he turned to face her, almost forgetting that he was supporting Izuru, 'What?'

'Kira,' straightening, Kanashimi moved over and reached for her Lieutenant.

Rather unthinkingly, Toshiro jumped aside, dragging Izuru with him, 'No,'

Yuki paused, still trying to locate Hitsugaya and Kira, then she sensed their reiatsu and turned, 'Why not?'

'You can't even see,' the Tenth Division captain wasn't going to just let the half sedated Kanashimi take her Lieutenant back to the Third Division.

'That's ridiculo-,' Yuki suddenly fell forwards and Toshiro only reached out just in time to stabilise her. Letting his reiatsu flare, the young captain hoped that Matsumoto would arrive quickly.

* * *

><p>'Captain,' Rangiku appeared on the path before the white haired shinigami, giggling slightly when she saw his predicament, 'Oh, that's right. Izuru got in the way of the first shot,'<p>

'Would you give me a hand?' Toshiro was cross and his bubbly Lieutenant wasn't making things any easier.

'Certainly,' Matsumoto skipped over and slid Kira's unconscious form into her arms, 'To the Third Division barracks then,'

As the Lieutenant used shunpo to vanish, Toshiro was about to do the same when Yuki jerked upright again and turned around. This time it was clear that she was sleep walking.

Toshiro approached her carefully and put a hand on her arm, 'Kanashimi,'

Unseeing eyes met his and then the captain slumped forwards again. Sighing, Toshiro used shunpo to take the captain to the Third Division barracks.

* * *

><p>Yuki woke a few minutes later to find herself lying on one of the couches in her captain's apartments. There were traces of Hitsugaya's reiatsu and she assumed he'd brought her back to the Third Division. Sighing, she wondered if Kira was okay as well, and was pleased to sense his reiatsu nearby.<p>

The Shinigami Women's Association was dangerous if you weren't prepared, she'd figured that much out by now.

Looking at the window, the captain realised that it was almost dawn and that made her feel incredibly tired. Thoughts flickered through her mind quickly until the image of an empty apartment surfaced. Shaking her head and covering her face, the shinigami stood and walked over to the window, eyes haunted.

_You're a captain, _she thought determinedly, _Be strong, not just for yourself, but for your Division._

* * *

><p>It was quite late in the day when Toshiro woke up, having had a rather short nap in comparison to usual, and he felt like going straight back to sleep.<p>

'Good morning captain!' Matsumoto skipped into his office, where he'd fallen asleep, and beamed at him, 'How are you feeling?'

Toshiro glared at her, wondering where she got all her energy from, 'Fine,'

'You've got a meeting to attend,' the Lieutenant leaned forwards over his desk.

'When?' sitting bolt upright, the white haired captain was instantly alert, eyes wide.

'Now,' laughing, Matsumoto waltzed out of the room, mumbling something about going to the Ninth Division.

'Matsumoto!' Toshiro's shout rang out in the Tenth Division as he rushed out of the offices.

* * *

><p>When Yuki got message of the meeting, she used her impressive shunpo to take herself to the First Division Assembly Hall. It would be her first meeting as a captain, and on her third day, so she was determined not to be late.<p>

'Captain Kanashimi,' arriving just as the smiling Unohana did, Yuki was slightly fearful of what the woman was going to say, 'Did you have a nice night?'

'Yes, of course,' speaking expressionlessly, Yuki nodded to her before walking into the Hall.

Only a few of the other captains were already there, including Ukitake, Kuchiki, Soifon and Kyoraku. As Yuki took her place, Captain Komamura walked in, his wolf like head turning to survey her once again. Kurotsuchi arrived suddenly, followed by Kenpachi Zaraki. The fearsome looking captain of the Eleventh Division leered at Yuki but she returned his gaze passively, earning a satisfied huff from the other captain.

Just as Yamamoto walked in, Toshiro appeared, glad that he'd made it just in time. Taking his place, the short captain glanced quickly at the assembled faces before turning to the Head Captain.

'The meeting will now commence!' Yamamoto spoke, 'Today, the matter we will discuss is a disturbance in the sky over Karakura Town,'

'Disturbance?' Soifon asked, completely short and direct in her manner.

'That's right,' Mayuri spoke suddenly, 'The clouds have been creating very odd patterns lately, but it's not Hollows. The number of them has been just around average and the substitute shinigami has had no problem dispatching them with his friends,'

As the Twelfth Division captain continued on about Hollows, Yuki turned her attention to what he'd said. She didn't know what had caused the disturbance in the clouds, the captain hadn't elaborated on that, but she knew about the substitute shinigami. Kurosaki Ichigo – he'd been vitally important in the Winter War, and had performed many important acts in the Soul Society's history. He and his group of friends were quite well known in the Seireitei now.

The four of them lived in Karakura Town, and attended high school there. Violet eyes darkened as a memory threatened to break though the tight barrier she'd erected in her mind.

* * *

><p>Sensing a change in Kanashimi's reiatsu, Toshiro glanced over at her, noting the tightness of her expression. Wondering what was wrong, as the flickering of her usually controlled reiatsu made him blink, he returned his attention to Kurotsuchi.<p>

'Kanashimi,' Yamamoto opened his eyes fractionally, 'I want you to take a group to the World of the Living. Hitsugaya, as a captain accustomed to the Human World, you will accompany her,'

'Right,' Yuki's voice was calm.

'Hitsugaya,' the Head Captain focused his full attention on the young shinigami, 'For this mission, you will select the team. I want the pair of you to investigate the area and return quickly with any valuable information. Make contact with Kurosaki Ichigo and inform him of the current circumstances. Leave in three days,'

'Yes, understood,' Toshiro paused, 'What should we be looking for?'

'Anything,' Mayuri laughed, 'Absolutely anything could help with this case,'

Thinking that the whole thing seemed kind of vague, Toshiro just nodded again and then left the room when Yamamoto ended the meeting.

* * *

><p>Author's Note:<p>

I bet Kurotsuchi had fun with that . . . dramatically saying there's something wrong in Karakura Town, and then practically saying he has no idea what and 'go look for anything you think could help'

It's really _is _a bit vague.


	9. Chapter 9: Silence the Laughter

_Chapter 9: Silence the Laughter_

Yuki knew that this type of mission, one that was under the joint overview of two superior officers, required complete cooperation and understanding between both of those officers. Also, considering the lack of knowledge they had on the situation, it would really be a 'hit or miss' kind of assignment.

Watching as Kira hurried towards her, the captain wondered just _who _Hitsugaya would choose to take to the World of the Living.

'Captain,' Izuru stopped before her, 'I heard about the mission, what do you want me to do?'

'You have to keep the Division in order,' Yuki was feeling slightly sorry for the blonde man, 'Sorry that I have to go so soon after arriving,'

'Don't worry,' the Lieutenant smiled, 'There's still three more days for the Division to get to know you properly and the assignment shouldn't take too long,'

'You're right,' pausing, the captain studied Izuru's cheerful expression, 'Did something good happen, Kira?'

'Well, Matsumoto said she was going to the World of the Living with you and Captain Hitsugaya, so she won't be able to talk me into going to one of her drinking parties with Hisagi,' Izuru was sounding hopeful as well as happy, and the expression on his face was relieved. Still, Yuki could sense that he was good friends with the Tenth Division Lieutenant, and if she were to go away for an extended period of time, he'd be sure to miss her.

When she replied, her voice was dry, 'I see. Then, if that's the case, I don't want you finding something worse to do than getting drunk. Who knows what would happen to the Division if the captain was away in the World of the Living, and the Lieutenant was,' casting around for a suitable expression, Yuki flinched slightly, 'Off with the fairies,'

Izuru blinked at his captain's slightly awkward use of the human proverb and then, to his own astonishment, he began to laugh. In just a few seconds, tears were streaming down his face as he clutched his stomach and tried to stay upright.

'S-sorry C-captain,' the Lieutenant suddenly doubled over in something akin to agony as more chuckles racked his frame, 'P-please don't mind m-me,'

Yuki wasn't sure how to react, seeing the usually gloomy shinigami almost falling to the ground in fits of laughter, so she just waited for him to recover.

* * *

><p>Matsumoto was using shunpo to move rapidly through the Seireitei, when she saw something that made her misplace her next step and fall from the sky, landing on top of Hisagi Shuuhei, who, as the acting chief editor of <em>Seireitei Communications<em>, was carrying a lot of documents.

Shuuhei automatically reached out to catch Matsumoto, but that caused him to drop all of the articles that he'd just spent hours collecting from their respective authors.

'Oh! Hisagi!' jumping up and spinning around, Matsumoto placed a finger on his chest, 'Go get a camera for me,'

'What?' trying not to panic over the scattered papers, which were in danger of being blown away, Hisagi tried to process the Lieutenant's words.

'A camera,' smiling sweetly, Rangiku glanced about, 'You have one right?'

'Of course,' the other shinigami wasn't sure where this was going. The last time he'd seen Rangiku with a camera . . . he didn't even want to think about it.

'Go get it for me,' the woman patted his shoulder, 'Hurry now!'

Despite being worried about the consequences of giving Matsumoto the camera, Hisagi raced off using shunpo, finding his camera and returning as quickly as he could.

'Brilliant! Hurry!' grabbing onto the other Lieutenant's arm, Rangiku dragged him along until she arrived where Izuru and Kanashimi were standing.

As the strawberry blonde realised that Kira had stopped laughing and appeared to be talking about something serious, she sighed and tossed the camera back to Hisagi who, although being rather tired from the quick run, caught it easily. Shuuhei was hoping that Matsumoto would let him go very soon or else someone would find the discarded papers and, in a worst case scenario, clean them all up.

'What a shame,' Matsumoto sighed heavily and slapped Hisagi on the back of his head, 'No one's going to believe me now,'

* * *

><p>When Lieutenant Matsumoto's reiatsu suddenly appeared along with one Yuki didn't recognise completely, she turned and watched as the woman tossed a small device to her companion. Recognising Hisagi Shuuhei, Lieutenant of the Ninth Division, from the reports she'd read and also remembering seeing him in Hitsugaya's office the day before, she frowned ever so slightly.<p>

'Matsumoto?' Kira's tone held a hidden dread and it was clear that he was nervous.

Sidling up to the blonde man, Rangiku leaned in and whispered in his ear, 'Who would've thought that you could _laugh_,'

Izuru jolted and jumped away from the laughing Lieutenant, horror crossing his face. Yuki, who was watching everything carefully, which included noticing Hisagi slipping away quickly, wondered just what Matsumoto had said.

'I can't believe you!' Izuru was angry at the same time as scared, 'How naughty!'

'Don't worry, everyone does it sometimes,' Rangiku didn't sound concerned, 'You shouldn't make such a fuss,'

'Make a fuss? You'll have fun with this, won't you,' his tone turned accusing.

'Oh of course,' the other Lieutenant purred, winking at him.

Realising that Matsumoto's captain had arrived just after the woman herself, Yuki commented, 'Is it just me, or does that conversation slightly suggest something improper?'

Toshiro was surprised the captain had noticed him, since she was facing the opposite direction and he was suppressing his reiatsu, but he walked forwards anyway, 'No, you're completely right,' turning to Matsumoto, he snapped, 'What are you doing?'

'Captain,' the woman sounded incredibly guilty, 'Nothing!'

'Don't you dare say anything to anyone,' Izuru seemed not to have noticed Toshiro's arrival, his full attention was occupied by Rangiku.

Yuki suddenly realised what must have happened and she almost smiled, moving over to her Lieutenant, she touched his shoulder lightly before turning to Matsumoto, 'I'll ask you not to tell anyone about what you saw,' her gaze focused on Rangiku's, freezing the woman where she stood, 'Matsumoto,'

'Y-yes captain,'

When Toshiro heard his Lieutenant agreeing without fuss, although he still didn't know what about, he was shocked and wondered immediately how Kanashimi had achieved the seemingly impossible.

'Captain,' addressing Toshiro now, Matsumoto bowed humbly, 'L-let's go,'

'Right,' turning to follow the shinigami, who had set quite a brisk pace, Toshiro sighed before vanishing with shunpo.

* * *

><p>'That was so scary!' slumped weakly on Toshiro's couch, Matsumoto wailed loudly, still shaking slightly, 'She's scary,'<p>

'What?' looking up from his paperwork and trying not to twitch, Toshiro glanced at his Lieutenant.

'When she asked me not to tell anyone that Izuru was l-,' Rangiku suddenly cut herself off and began to cough loudly, anything else she was about to say drowned out immediately.

'Are you okay?' despite the fact that the woman was a complete nightmare, Toshiro did have a close working relationship with her and that meant that he was concerned when she suddenly did things like that.

'No,' the Lieutenant gave one final volley of coughs and then blinked, 'Yes,'

A definite tick beginning over his eye, the white haired captain took a deep calming breath, 'What were you saying?'

'About Izuru la-,' once again the shinigami started coughing.

Toshiro could easily work out that she'd been trying to say 'laughing' both times before she'd started acting strangely, and he wondered about that.

'Matsumoto?' the Lieutenant looked over at him, small beads of sweat appearing on her face, 'Is that kido?'

Finally recovering, Rangiku's eyes widened as she remembered seeing a flicker of light in Captain Kanashimi's eyes when she'd spoken to her about Izuru. Still, it wasn't normal kido, if it was kido at all.

'I think so,' she shook her head, 'But I've never seen it used like that – to stop a person from saying something,'

'Me neither,' resolving to ask Kanashimi about the matter the next day, despite the general uncomfortable feeling he got around her, Toshiro returned to his paperwork.

* * *

><p>Author's Note:<p>

Matsumoto was pretty mean to Kira just then . . . oh well, seems like she's going to have to be quiet for once.


	10. Chapter 10: Kido Session

_Chapter 10: Kido Session_

'Captain Kanashimi?' Haruko slid open the office door, bowing low, 'Did you want to supervise today's early morning kido session?'

Yuki replaced her brush carefully and stood, fastening her zanpakuto at her waist, 'Of course,'

'Please follow me,' since the shinigami seemed to be the most comfortable around the captain, everyone else in the squad got her to deliver messages. After all, most of the male shinigami disliked playing messenger anyway.

After a few short minutes of shunpo, Yuki found herself on a large green field which overlooked a deep, stretching hole in the ground. Across the other side of the gap, the yellow stone cliffs were dotted with targets.

_So this is where they practice kido_, she thought to herself, _Interesting_.

'Everyone, listen up!' Izuru was in a good mood, even smiling occasionally, 'Today we'll be showing our new captain our kido skills! Please do your best!'

Apart from a few shinigami who rolled their eyes at the Lieutenant, everyone moved quickly up to the edge of the pit and held out their hands, ready to cast their first spell.

'Hado 1. Sho,'

There was crumbling sounds as most of the gathered shinigami hit one of the targets.

'Hado 4. Byakurai,'

White lightning sparked and Yuki watched carefully, seeing who hit targets and who missed completely.

'Hado 31. Shakkaho!'

The shout was louder, for some unknown reason, and the blasts of energy that resulted were decidedly _interesting_. Most of the Division members formed the red spheres and then managed to fire them, but a few ended up having tiny little bulbs of light drift away from their outstretched hands and vanish into the sky.

When there was a loud explosion, Yuki turned slightly and knew instantly that someone had undoubtedly blown up the kido. Interestingly, none of the shinigami in her Division showed any signs of having such an event occur to them.

'Renji!' the angry shout startled many of the Third Division members, 'What do you think you're doing?'

Recognising Kuchiki Rukia's voice, the captain of the Third Division moved along the line of shinigami and then saw, about twenty-five metres away, standing on the edge of the cliff, Lieutenant Abarai Renji. Rukia was beside him and reprimanding him furiously, ignoring his blackened appearance.

'Wait a moment, will you all?' using shunpo, Yuki appeared beside the Lieutenant, listening to Kira taking over the practice.

'Captain Kanashimi!' Rukia flushed slightly and bowed deeply, 'My apologies,' she kicked the back of the red headed man's legs none to subtly, 'This piece of garbage can't get his kido right,'

'I see,' looking up at Abarai, the captain addressed him next, 'Did you discard the incantation?'

'No captain,' Renji was looking rather embarrassed, as this was his first time meeting the new captain and he was covered in black, 'I didn't,'

'He messed up one of the words,' Rukia smirked at him, 'Renji, watch again,'

'Kuchiki,' Yuki interrupted the shinigami as she raised her hands, ready to cast the kido, 'May I?'

'Oh,' the petite shinigami was surprised that the captain would bother herself with such a trivial thing, 'Of course,'

'Hado 31,' raising both her hands, Yuki aimed at one of the targets on the distant wall, 'Shakkaho,'

Renji almost jumped then the blast of red energy left the captain's hands. The pressure it was exerting was astonishing. His eyes watched the kido's swift path to the opposite cliff face and then they widened when a rather large section of rock cracked and tumbled to the ground below.

'Ah,' Yuki glanced at her pale hands, 'I think I didn't hold back enough,' looking forwards again, she added, 'And I think I missed the target,'

'No, you didn't,' Rukia was awed, being a fellow kido practitioner, she understood the art and could appreciate fully what she'd just seen, 'It's just that you destroyed it completely,' _And a large bit of the wall too_, she added mentally.

The Sixth Division Lieutenant was staring, and he knew it, but Renji was just _amazed _that someone could harness that much power into a relatively low level kido spell and then say that they were _holding back_.

'Abarai,' he jerked out of his thoughts when he heard his name, Yuki met his gaze evenly, 'Keep working on your kido,'

'Yes captain!' Renji was glad that Byakuya wasn't here to see him being so embarrassing – the stoic man had a hard enough time dealing with him when he was actually working hard, 'Thank you captain!'

Yuki just nodded before turning and moving back to her assembled Division, knowing that Rukia would keep Abarai in time with the count Izuru was setting.

* * *

><p>'Captain,' Matsumoto peeked out from under Toshiro's desk when he walked into the room, smiling evilly, 'Captain,'<p>

'What is it, Matsumoto?' the white haired shinigami was slightly worried about what she was going to say – as usual – but he wasn't fully concentrating on her.

'Well,' the Lieutenant jumped up and sped to the door, 'Apart from the fact that I spilt sake onto the documents you had on your desk this morning,' she spoke incredibly rapidly, 'The Third Division is having a kido practice at the moment!'

After the woman had vanished, Toshiro took a few seconds to understand what she'd actually said. Then he shouted in fury as he looked at his desk and saw the ruined reports. Knowing that he wouldn't be able to cope with any more desk work for a while, he decided to take a midday stroll and find Kanashimi to ask her about the kido she used on Matsumoto.

* * *

><p>Approaching the kido training area, Toshiro could sense different spells being cast and also the reiatsu of the casters. He was surprised to sense Abarai joining in the training session, considering that it wasn't his Division, but, when he also felt Kuchiki's reiatsu, it made much more sense. The small shinigami – she was taller than him though – could be quite fearsome when she wanted to be.<p>

Walking through the trees, the white haired captain could clearly see the Third Division busily working on their kido, the watchful eyes of their captain keeping a careful check on their every move.

'Captain, you used Soren Sokatsui to destroy the Kototsu the other day, right?' one of the female shinigami spoke to Kanashimi.

'That's right,' Yuki turned her attention to Haruko.

'How many kido spells can you do?' the dark haired woman was curious, and she wanted everyone else to remember the power of their new captain and learn to trust her.

'Quite a few of them,' the captain replied dryly.

'Do you know any above 73?' another Division member called out, 'Can you show one to us?' his tone was slightly baiting.

'I know them,' Yuki paused, 'But I'm not sure it's such a good idea to use that level of Hado here without a real reason,'

'_Can _you really do it then?' another person, despite being awed when the captain destroyed the cleaner, joined in the mockery.

'Don't you two!' Haruko cried out, ashamed of their behaviour, 'The captain's right! And don't forget she saved your lives the other day,'

'Whatever,' someone else sneered, 'She obviously can't do any offensive spells over the level of Soren Sokatsui anyway,'

Toshiro found himself getting quite angry at the Third Division's behaviour. That wasn't the way to treat a captain, whether or not he or she was new. Walking from the shadows, the white haired captain made his presence known.

Turning to face the Division, he spoke coldly, 'Mind your tongues,' then glancing at Kanashimi, he added, 'It shouldn't be a problem to use those Hado here,'

As he finished speaking, there was a ripping sound and a menos grande stepped out onto the ground in the pit below. Everyone froze in surprise, knowing that it was incredibly strange for something like this to occur.

'And now it looks like there's something to test it on too,' Rukia appeared, staring at the menos and then smirking at the startled Third Division members.

'Hado 4,' Yuki's eyes were closed as she raised her hand, white energy flickering around her fingers, 'Byakurai,'

Everyone gasped in surprise, and even Toshiro's eyes widened, as the bolt of white lightning speared the menos, killing it instantly.

Th-that's,' the shinigami couldn't even talk.

'How could that be Bya-,' everyone seemed so shocked that they couldn't form coherent sentences.

'Byakurai,' Toshiro nodded, despite still trying to work it out in his head.

'Correct,' Yuki's lavender eyes flicked open and she lowered her hand, 'I will not use any Hado higher than Soren Sokatsui, not because I currently have no need, but also because the energy output of such a kido that you listed, would have the potential to kill you if it was not held back,'

The group's eyes widened again as they processed the way she said it. If they were all interpreting it correctly, then she _could _use those kido, but _chose _not to. And that was something completely different to anything they'd heard about her before.

* * *

><p>Author's Note:<p>

Can you imagine hold childishly Renji would act? Byakuya would have a fit seeing his Lieutenant grinning like a fool and 'yes captain' -ing practically with a salute . . .


	11. Chapter 11: Kenpachi Zaraki

_Chapter 11:__ Kenpachi Zaraki_

'Everyone is dismissed,' Yuki nodded to her Division after everyone had seemingly recovered, 'You may leave,'

As the Third Division members began wandering off, no doubt talking about what they'd witnessed, Rukia grabbed Renji's arm and began pulling him away, 'Apart from the fact that you need new clothes, Nee-sama's not going to be happy that we stayed away _this _long,'

'Still, I wouldn't have missed that for anything,' Renji chuckled as he shook her off, 'The looks on their faces,'

'Their faces?' Rukia smirked and whacked him, 'You got brain damage just seeing Shakkaho,'

'Hey!' as his childhood friend raced away, Renji took off in pursuit, shouting, 'Get back here you!'

Toshiro was having trouble trying not to sigh at the occasionally over-energetic antics of those two, then, remembering why he came in the first place, he turned to Kanashimi, 'Did you use kido on Matsumoto yesterday?'

Yuki hesitated only once before nodding, 'Kira would really have broken down if she began spreading the news. He'd have been harassed by everyone just to do it again,'

Toshiro couldn't help but smile at the mental image her words created and then he blinked, wondering how it was so easy to do such an action when it was so unusual for him.

'What type of kido was it?' not looking at her in case she sensed his surprise, he continued, 'Was it Hakufuku?'

He actually didn't think it was, as that kido generally made a person lose consciousness, not be prevented from saying something.

'A variation of it,' her voice was as calm as ever, then she paused, 'Did you want me to remove it from Matsumoto?'

Suppressing an evil grin, Toshiro shook his head, 'Don't bother, it's probably good for her to have some limitations,'

'I see,' after a slight silence, which, strangely, wasn't uncomfortable at all, she asked, 'Who are you taking to the World of the Living?'

'Matsumoto, because when there's an opportunity to go, you can't stop her taking it,' he sighed, 'Kuchiki Rukia, because she probably knows the substitute shinigami better than anyone else in the Seireitei. The Third and Fifth Seats from the Eleventh Division, as you can't stop them either, and Abarai,'

For some reason, Yuki got the impression that, as she knew Hitsugaya was sent quite often to the Human World, the team never really changed. And, if her memory wasn't failing her and it rarely did, that _was _actually the same group.

'So, about the substitute shinigami,' she trailed off, leaving it as a question despite knowing that he was probably only going to say things she'd already read.

'Kurosaki Ichigo,' Toshiro realised that this was probably the most he'd ever heard her say in one conversation, 'He originally gained his powers from Kuchiki, and then Urahara Kisuke awakened his own powers,'

Yuki knew a lot about Urahara – he was a shopkeeper in the World of the Living, but he'd once been the Captain of the Twelfth Division, as well as the Founder of the Department of Research and Development.

'Urahara,' she was lost in thought, unaware that she was speaking aloud, 'That's right, I've seen hi-,'

Blinking suddenly and coming back to reality, Yuki cut herself off, wondering why she'd been about to say that. It was hardly true.

'What?' Toshiro was surprised, but he could see for himself that she was too.

'Nothing,' shaking her head, the captain turned to excuse herself, 'Hitsugaya,'

Toshiro blinked as he was suddenly left alone at the edge of the kido training grounds and then he began pondering the other captain's strange behaviour. Unable to come to a suitable conclusion, he turned his mind to something much easier to understand.

It was clear that Kanashimi was a kido master, and as long as she was a captain, the Gotei 13 would be satisfactorily strong.

* * *

><p>Izuru was glad to see his captain when she appeared at the office door. After seeing the demonstration of kido, everyone had been so excitable that he'd been unable to control them at all.<p>

'Captain Kanashimi!' before the Lieutenant could speak, the five female shinigami in the Division, including Haruko, appeared before her, bowing hastily.

'Yes?' Yuki was surprised, given the hostile looks she'd received from the other four prior to today's activities.

'We just wanted to say that we think you're incredible,' they looked up from their bows and smiled, 'And don't worry about the guys, we can deal with them,'

Laughing, the five of them ran off again, leaving the captain feeling slightly out of her depth of social knowledge again.

'Kira,' walking into her office, Yuki paused to look at her Lieutenant, who appeared to be writing something rather important, 'Don't worry about Matsumoto, there's a kido spell on her which will prevent her from telling anyone that you laughed,'

The blonde man was grateful, but he couldn't help but feel slightly embarrassed when he recalled the fuss he'd made the day before.

'That's quite an achievement really,' Izuru couldn't help but add, still self-conscious.

Yuki was about to reply when she sensed two people with strong reiatsu coming along the corridor. After a few more seconds, the two shinigami appeared in the doorway.

'Are you Kanashimi Yuki?' the one leaning on the doorframe asked in a refined voice, one hand brushing the feathers on the corner of his eye.

'Is you are, we've got someone who wants to meet you,' the other man had red markings on_ his_ eyes and he appeared to be bald.

'Madarame Ikkaku, Third Seat of the Eleventh Division,' Yuki turned to face them fully, 'Ayasegawa Yumichiki, Fifth Seat of the Eleventh Division,' pausing, she answered Yumichika's question, 'And yes, I'm Kanashimi,'

'Good,' Ikkaku grinned rather fearsomely, hiding the fact that he was annoyed about not getting to introduce himself.

'Please come with us,' Yumichika added, noting the appearance of the new captain and feeling most satisfied.

'Kira,' once again, Yuki found herself being drawn away from her Division, 'Take care of everything here,'

'Yes captain,' Izuru himself was rather disappointed as he still had lots to show Kanashimi in the Third Division, let alone the rest of the Seireitei, but still, if it was Captain Kenpachi Zaraki calling for her, then there was nothing he could do.

Sighing once they'd left the room, he picked up the article he was writing and began to re-read it.

* * *

><p>Yumichika, a lover of everything he deemed beautiful, was studying Kanashimi closely as they moved towards the Eleventh Division. He knew that Ikkaku, despite being his long-time friend, wouldn't be able to appreciate or understand the nature of his observations, so he generally kept them to himself. But still, the Third Seat was going to get a whole speech delivered to him later as one just couldn't ignore the new captain's appearance, no matter how hard on tried. Unless of course you were like Ikkaku, or, for that matter, Zaraki.<p>

'So you came,' the imposing figure of the Eleventh Division captain loomed before them and he was smiling manically, 'How nice of you,'

A pink haired head suddenly popped up from over his shoulder and his Lieutenant, Yachiru, appeared, sucking on a candy, 'Hey! It's Snow-chan!'

'Snow-chan?' Ikkaku smirked at her, 'What kind of a nickname is that? That's the most _original thing you could think of_?'

As he started laughing, Yachiru frowned and jumped at him, landing on one of his shoulders. When he started protesting loudly, she stuck the candy she'd been licking into his mouth and then began sucking on his head instead.

While the muffled shouts of the shinigami drifted over, Yumichika nodded at his captain, 'That's right,' he smiled and gestured at Yuki gracefully, 'This is Kanashimi,'

'I see!' bending over slightly so as to be at the other captain's eye level, Kenpachi's smile vanished, 'Don't tell me you're as weak as you look,'

Yuki's violet eyes darkened, and the captain tilted her head to one side, 'I can see why your zanpakuto can't be sealed,'

'It's because his reiatsu is too large,' Yumichika began to protest, despite feeling admiration towards Kanashimi just because she dared to insult Zaraki.

'Too large?' she shook her head, 'That reiatsu is worthless,'

'Are you asking to die?' Kenpachi was excited as this woman obviously had spirit. And it wasn't like he would actually _kill _her, since she was a captain and Yamamoto would be incredibly angry, but he wanted to fight someone strong and she seemed the best option.

Yuki surveyed the other captain coolly, knowing that he wanted a fight, and she was prepared to give him one, 'I think this fight won't involve kido,'

'Leave that trash for the weaklings,' Zaraki's eyes flicked to her zanpakuto, 'Now, how should we begin?'

* * *

><p>Author's Note:<p>

Ikkaku really should try to watch his mouth a bit more when he's around Yachiru . . . it's a lost cause really


	12. Chapter 12: Three Words

_Chapter 12: Three Words_

Toshiro felt Kenpachi's already massive reiatsu flare and his frown deepened. Walking outside quickly, he realised that Kanashimi was also in the Eleventh Division and it wouldn't take a child prodigy to work out what was going on. Consequently, since he _was _one such prodigy, he knew instantly what was about to happen and he didn't like the thought of it. Still, it was hardly his responsibility to make sure the new captain wasn't forced into parties, kidnapped, or killed. And it wasn't like Zaraki would just take her life straight after she became a captain – after all, even _he _would know how angry Yamamoto would be.

As Toshiro was debating the best course of action, Rangiku appeared and attacked him so all thoughts of Kanashimi were quickly driven from his mind.

* * *

><p>'How was the menos destroyed?' Yamamoto didn't look at his Lieutenant as he spoke.<p>

Sasakibi Chojiro nodded and held up a piece of paper that bore the mark of the Twelfth Division, 'The dummy Hollow was destroyed instantly by Hado 4, Byakurai. No remains of the caster's reiatsu were found at the site,'

'Then we shall assume that it was Kanashimi, although Hitsugaya was there too,' the Head Captain was pleased with the obvious kido prowess of the new captain, 'Now, make sure the Twelfth Division have an eye on the sparring ground in the Eleventh Division. We shall soon see how skilled she is at zanjutsu,'

'Yes sir,' the Lieutenant stood and vanished.

Yamamoto opened his eyes fractionally, 'Kanashimi Yuki, I hope you will show strength in all areas and become a strong captain,' turning to look out over the Seireitei from the open part of his office, the captain continued, 'Kenpachi, do not fail your orders,'

* * *

><p>Zaraki watched as the other shinigami drew her zanpakuto and rested it before her and he could tell she had one more question but wasn't going to ask it. But it didn't bother him in the slightest.<p>

'Come one then!' he waited for her to move, unnamed zanpakuto's tip resting on the ground.

'You,' she vanished from where she'd been standing, appearing in the air behind him, katana arcing towards his neck, 'Shouldn't be so impatient,'

'That's more like it,' swinging his own zanpakuto upwards, the captain met Kanashimi's strike with his own, his reiatsu surging.

Yuki once again disappeared to appear a few metres away, she held out her hand, 'It's your turn,'

Grinning wildly, Kenpachi raced forwards, blade aimed for her chest.

As the zanpakuto neared her, Yuki drew back her hand in a lightning fast movement and grasped the jagged blade. Zaraki's eyes widened slightly in surprise as she was clearly unharmed by the action, and he paused.

The other captain stared up at him impassively before taking a stronger grip on the blade and them throwing it, and its wielder, away with absolute ease and grace.

Ikkaku and Yumichika, watching from the sidelines, blinked in surprise. Ikkaku paused, the dumpling he was about to eat halfway to his mouth, and shook his head, as if trying to clear the sight from his mind. Yumichika once again analysed Kanashimi and noted the uninjured hand that she was withdrawing. He knew, like almost everyone in the Seireitei, that reiatsu could be used for specific purposes – like paralysing people, causing intense fear, even killing them. Defence was one of the things reiatsu could be used for, but even so, someone – not an Arrancar, and definitely not an Espada – a shinigami, who Zaraki's blade couldn't cut . . . it was impossible.

'That was a surprise,' the huge captain jumped up again after getting tired of lying on the ground, 'This really _should _be good,'

Sitting between the two Eleventh Division members, Yachiru smiled, 'Go Ken-chan!' she cried out happily, then, turning to Yumichika, she added, 'He looks like he's having fun!'

'Shut up,' Zaraki grumbled at her as he sent shockwaves of energy flying off his blade, slicing a nearby wall in half effortlessly.

'You have limiters,' Yuki commented suddenly, 'Your eye patch eats away at your reiatsu, the bells in your hair alert people to your presence, and you rarely ever wield you zanpakuto with two hands,'

'What of it?" Kenpachi tapped his katana on his shoulder as he stared at her.

'I will not use kido, or shunpo,' she met his gaze, 'Or release my zanpakuto,'

'She's crazy,' Ikkaku muttered under his breath, 'The only people to even consider limiting themselves when fighting Zaraki are ones who want to die,'

'Still, she's got some definite power,' Yumichika nodded, remembering sensing the massively strong kido a while before and knowing that she was the caster because of chatter he'd heard in the Third Division.

'Yeah,' the other man scratched his head, then he grinned, 'I can't wait to see how this one turns out,'

'You've got some courage,' laughing, Zaraki raced forwards again and rapid clashes of metal followed.

* * *

><p>'Where are you going, Captain?' Matsumoto grabbed the edge of Toshiro's haori as he tried to walk past her. The Lieutenant was sprawled on the floor doing scribbles on a report and sipping generously from a bottle of sake.<p>

'The Eleventh Division,' he replied distantly, still focusing on Zaraki's raging reiatsu, 'And anyway, get back to work,'

'Why?' Rangiku was still tugging at his haori, preventing him from going any further.

'Let go Matsumoto,' Toshiro himself wasn't exactly certain why he was going, but Rangiku didn't need to know that.

'Captain Hitsugaya!' Jushiro suddenly appeared at the door, panting, 'Lieutenant Sasakibe asked me to tell you that the Head Captain asked him to tell you that he's ordered you to find Kanashimi and bring her to him as he's got information for you two about the mission to the World of the Living,'

Toshiro was only just quick enough to understand what the older captain had said and he nodded, shaking himself free from Matsumoto's grip and walking to the door, 'Ukitake, I think you should rest here a while,'

Knowing that the captain got sick often, Toshiro didn't want the man to completely exhaust himself just by delivering a message.

'Hurry, I sensed her in the Eleventh Division and it seems like Captain Kenpachi is fighting someone,' Ukitake flopped limply onto one of the couches, 'She was such a sweet girl,'

Sighing at the man's paternal tone, the young captain walked out of the office.

* * *

><p>Yuki knelt suddenly to avoid one of Zaraki's strikes, and then she slashed upwards with her zanpakuto, the other captain jumping backwards just in time causing the injury inflicted to be a light scratch rather than a gaping wound.<p>

'You're good,' Kenpachi laughed again, swinging at her with all his force, 'I'm really enjoying this fight!'

Focusing, the Third Division captain sensed a now familiar reiatsu approaching the Eleventh Division. Light surprise flickered through her eyes even as she raised her blade and blocked Zaraki's attack effortlessly.

'You're gonna die!' taking advantage of her seemingly distracted state, the other captain jumped up into the air, arm raised above him, ready to strike.

Kenpachi's words echoed through Yuki's mind and her violet eyes went glassy. There was a moment as if time itself had frozen, and then she moved.

Standing so quickly that she blurred, the captain caught the force of Zaraki's blow with one hand and then, pulling on the blade, Yuki let her own zanpakuto slide down the chipped length of the other and towards the man's chest.

Zaraki's eyes widened as his mind took a moment to catch up with what was happening, and then he wrenched his blade aside and ducked.

'Did you suddenly get serious?' he was still grinning.

'Not even close,' her voice was flat, completely expressionless and icy, vastly different from her previous impassive and even slightly mocking tone.

'Really?' the other captain still wanted more out of the fight as he knew Yamamoto would send someone in sooner or later to say that he'd done his job and now he had to go away and stop fighting.

Yuki's mind was cloudy, and she didn't even register what she was doing or saying, 'Your zanpakuto is released, you shouldn't be having so much trouble,' she knew he wasn't fighting seriously, but again she spoke without thinking.

'Trouble,' he laughed, 'Don't make me start fighting seriously,'

'Kenpachi! Kanashimi,' Toshiro appeared on the roof of the nearest building, 'Stand down, Yamamoto's orders,'

Sighing, Zaraki turned and walked off, his two Division members and Yachiru following silently, 'It was a good fight,' he called out before they disappeared around a corner.

Looking down at Kanashimi, who was sheathing her zanpakuto, Toshiro's frown deepened, 'The Head Captain called for us,'

Yuki turned to look at the other captain, clearing her mind, 'Right,'

Toshiro had seen the haunted, almost dead, look in her eyes just before she'd spoken and it didn't look _right_, 'Are you okay?'

'Fine,' the shinigami captain appeared beside him, 'Let's go,'

Not believing her for a second, Toshiro just nodded.

* * *

><p>Author's Note:<p>

When I was editing this, I thought the chapter title _could _be a bit misleading depending on your point of view. Now I'm wondering what it was interpreted as before the rest of the chapter was read . . . do tell . . .


	13. Chapter 13: Orders and Attack

_Chapter 13: Orders + Attack_

'All I have to say to you is that I want this mission to be a brief one. A week at the maximum,' Yamamoto spoke slowly, 'And that Kurosaki Ichigo _must _be informed. That is all,'

Wondering just why they'd had to come in person to hear that, both captains nodded and then exited. Yamamoto watched Kanashimi through narrowed eyes and he decided that he was satisfied with her skills in kido, zanjutsu and shunpo. However, he still wanted to assess her knowledge of hakuda but hadn't currently thought a way test that.

'Sasakibe,' his Lieutenant appeared by his side, 'Please ask Unohana to come here,'

* * *

><p>Toshiro couldn't help but keep remembering the look in Kanashimi's eyes after her brief fight with Zaraki, however, it didn't seem like an appropriate thing to bring up. As the pair reached the paths that would take them back to their respective Divisions, both captains paused, sensing a mass of muffled reiatsu moving along towards them. Turquoise eyes widened when Toshiro realised that Matsumoto seemed to be leading the charge and he turned to Kanashimi, 'I strongly advise we get out of here,' as dust began billowing up behind them from many sets of waraji pounding the ground, 'Now!'<p>

Yuki wondered just _what _was happening now. Ever since she'd become a captain, things seemed to be happening left, right and centre. Not to mention behind.

It seemed that everyone had gone super active with a mixture of excitement and relief that one of the empty captains' positions had been filled, and had all decided to be a bit _different _for a while. Yuki would've bet that, as soon as she left to the Human World, everything would calm down immediately, but, as it was, she was running as if her life depended on it.

Turning to the short captain beside her, she asked, 'What do you think they're doing now?'

'I haven't got a clue,' as some shinigami skidded out in front of them, Toshiro spoke as he leapt up onto one of the rooftops, 'And I don't want to find out,'

'They would just be chasing me,' Yuki followed him, 'You could get away,'

'I think I'd still be caught up in all the _excitement_,' the white haired captain stressed the word, 'Anyway,'

As she ran onwards, jumping from rooftop to rooftop and trying to avoid the black mass of seemingly mad shinigami, Yuki wondered why she didn't feel like she was out of her social understanding when talking to the Tenth Division captain. Practically every time she'd seen him, something like _this _had happened, but that didn't change much.

* * *

><p>'I see them!' the sudden shout had both captains halting and freezing, peering through the late twilight glow to try and spot the speaker. Toshiro realised that he hadn't even noticed how late it seemed to be getting and he could hardly believe that this was only Kanashimi's fourth day as a captain. She just seemed to have slid into daily Seireitei life without much resistance and become someone who was just <em>there<em>.

'Bakudo 4. Hainawa!'

'Hinamori?' recognising his childhood friend's voice and getting intensely surprised, Toshiro only just managed to dodge the yellow kido light.

Suddenly huge kido lit lights appeared in the sky, held up by multiple shinigami, and the two captains realised the seriousness of their situation.

Hundreds of shinigami were massed around the area they were in, smiling brightly in the dark nighttime light.

'What's going on?' Toshiro asked, turning in the direction he sensed Matsumoto's reiatsu and glaring at the woman.

'We knew you two wouldn't come willingly, so we had to catch you somehow,' Rangiku shrugged offhandedly, gesturing to the gathered shinigami.

'Come willingly where?' the Lieutenant jumped at the tone her captain used and was about to reply when someone else spoke.

'Bakudo 63. Sajo Sabaku,' when Unohana's calm voice sounded, Toshiro froze, knowing the kido wielding abilities of the Fourth Division captain.

Yuki spun around, one hand glowing with a unique black kido light, and grasped onto the end of the long winding yellow chain. Thin cracks formed and then the whole binding kido disintegrated.

'Get them!' at the loud shout, which sounded suspiciously like Renji's, ten of the shinigami jumped up, lunging at the two captains.

As they neared the pair, Yuki's violet eyes suddenly closed and the hint of a smile played at her lips. Toshiro, who'd been turning around to knock down one of the would-be attackers, saw her expression and frowned.

He was about to ask about it, when she spoke, 'Unohana, Yamamoto's,' she paused, 'Quite a curious captain, no?'

Turning, Yuki grasped Toshiro's shoulder and then used a mixture of shunpo and self-invented kido to vanish along with him.

* * *

><p>Unohana smiled as the pair disappeared. She had no doubt that the new captain was incredibly intelligent and decided that it was good to have her as part of the Gotei 13. Turning to address everyone else, she said, 'Although we seem to have lost them, you can all still have that party,'<p>

'Hooray!' Matsumoto raced over to Hisagi and Izuru and dragged them off, catching Renji, Ikkaku and Yumichika along the way.

Rukia glared disapprovingly at their retreating forms and then turned to Unohana, 'Party?'

'That's what we were gathered here for, to bring those two to the official welcome party for Captain Kanashimi,' Unohana smiled, 'But, even though they're gone, the others are still going to have a good night,'

'Oh,' Rukia realised that she hadn't even known why she'd been there in the first place and sighed, 'Where's it being held?'

'The Third Division, but everyone's invited,' the Fourth Division captain smiled, 'Those two will turn up, just you watch,'

Still smiling, the woman turned and used shunpo to move towards the Third Division.

* * *

><p>Toshiro blinked when he found himself standing on the roof of the Third Division offices. There was a lot of noise coming from the barracks nearby, so he assumed that everyone must have congregated there.<p>

'Official welcome party,' Kanashimi noted, following his gaze, 'I should've remembered,'

'What did you mean when you spoke to Unohana?' the white haired captain was curious.

'Ah,' her lips curved at some secret joke, 'Nothing,'

'Do you ever smile?' the question was rather abrupt, and it sounded almost rude, but Toshiro hadn't even meant to say anything.

'Huh?' she sounded surprised, the expression colouring her usually impassive features.

'Nothing,' he repeated her reply, silently cursing himself.

'We should go,' taking a step towards the bright lights and sake smell, Yuki paused, 'If you don't mind. After all, the welcoming parties are usually used to crack the ice between new captains and their Divisions, you don't have to come,'

'No, I'll come,' nodding, Toshiro moved towards the barracks, 'It can't be too bad,'

As the white haired shinigami vanished with shunpo, Yuki smiled wryly, surprising herself further.

* * *

><p>'Here she is! Captain Kanashimi!' since he was drunk, Izuru wasn't exactly sure what he was doing and he'd gained a lot more confidence than usual. It also helped that most of the other shinigami were drunk too.<p>

Yuki moved towards the blond Lieutenant, hoping that he wasn't going to regret drinking so much in the morning. A hand shot out and grabbed her arm and she turned quickly, gaze falling on a drunken shinigami from one of the other Divisions.

'You've got a pretty face, love,' he smirked at her.

'Really,' meeting the man's gaze, Yuki's violet eyes flashed with a black light.

Toshiro, watching from a short distance back, wasn't too surprised when the man crumpled to the ground gasping. Once again, it was a variation of Hakufuku, he supposed.

'Kanashimi,' Unohana appeared, 'Please refrain from injuring too many people tonight,'

'Of course,' Yuki's tone was agreeable and she nodded at the smiling lady.

* * *

><p>It was very late in the night and most people, drunk or not, were starting to feel very tired. Most of the Sixth Division had vanished already, too afraid of their Captain's cold fury if they felt too sick the next day, and more and more people were leaving.<p>

'Let's go captain,' Matsumoto staggered over to Toshiro and collapsed, leaning heavily on his shoulder, 'I'm sleepy,'

'Get off!' the young captain tried to jump away from his Lieutenant but she held onto him tightly, 'Matsumoto!'

'C-captain,' she was wavering in and out of unconsciousness, 'Don't be so heartless,'

'I'm serious Matsumoto,' shoving her wasn't working, so he let his reiatus flare a bit, the cold making the woman shiver.

'D-don't,' she murmured, and then she was asleep.

Toshiro knew he'd look pretty odd right now, as Matsumoto was quite a bit taller than he was, but he couldn't really do anything.

'Let me,' Kanashimi appeared suddenly and easily hefted Rangiku's dead weight from his shoulder, 'I owe you for helping me with Kira,'

'Oh, right,' as she disappeared, Toshiro followed feeling absolutely exhausted.

* * *

><p>Author's Note:<p>

Everyone seems so lively, don't they? Matsumoto loves being at the front as well . . .


	14. Chapter 14: Greet

_Chapter 14: Greet_

On the day of her first official mission to the World of the Living, Yuki woke earlier than usual and got ready quickly. She calculated that she'd been a captain for about a week now and the thought seemed absurd. Since the party, nothing really 'exciting' had happened, but she'd gotten to know her Division a lot better and that was something.

'Captain,' Kira knocked on the door, 'Are you ready?'

Knowing that the Senkaimon wasn't scheduled to open for at least an hour, Yuki looked up from her book and frowned, 'For what?'

'The Division members would like to wish you luck,' Izuru was nervous, but he felt so much more comfortable around Kanashimi that he occasionally forgot that he was normally so much more melancholy.

'Right,' appearing at his side, which left the Lieutenant wondering how she'd gotten there, Yuki began walking towards the outdoor platform, haori fluttering out behind her. The area where the Division was waiting brought back memories that, while they seemed old, were only new – how tense the situation had been when she'd first stepped onto that platform.

'Captain Kanashimi!' the group bowed deeply, 'Good luck on your mission and we hope to see you back soon,'

'Thank you,' Yuki half smiled at them, 'I appreciate it,'

'Kanashimi,' Yumichika appeared behind her, 'We're leaving now,'

Realising that the gate must be opening earlier than previously planned, the captain turned and nodded, vanishing with him to appear at the Senkaimon.

* * *

><p>'Okay everyone,' Toshiro's tone was one of long suffering, 'Behave, alright? Don't draw any unnecessary attention to yourselves. Don't run around Karakura in your shinigami forms much. Don't steal anything from anyone. Don't bash anyone up. Don't annoy anyone, including me,' suddenly seeing the sly look on Ikkaku's face, he added, 'And don't kill anyone!'<p>

'Wha-,' the bald man was about to protest but Yumichika stopped him with a glare having just arrived.

Suddenly the man turned, wondering where Kanashimi had got to, until he saw her standing by the Senkaimon. He realised that she'd been there for a while, but nobody had noticed until now.

'Oh Captain Kanashimi,' Matsumoto skipped over to her, 'Isn't it a lovely day?'

Wondering about the woman's motives, Yuki just gazed at her expressionlessly as the group moved to stand before the gate.

'Well let's get moving,' Renji sighed, ignoring Rukia's glare, 'We wouldn't want to keep Ichigo waiting,'

'Just,' Toshiro's brow was twitching, 'Behave, alright!'

'Yes, yes, Captain,' Matsumoto nodded vigorously, 'Whatever you say,'

Before anyone could make him completely lose his temper, Toshiro hurried through the Senkaimon.

* * *

><p>Kurosaki Ichigo stood before his friends and glared at them. It wasn't an unusual sight. The four of them – Ishida Uryu, Yasutora Sado, Inoue Orihime, and Kurosaki himself – were waiting in the field where, some time ago now, the first Espada had appeared. They'd been informed by Urahara that a team of shinigami were being sent to the Human World in response to the strange cloud patterns, and that they should meet them upon arrival. The enigmatic shopkeeper had had an evil smile on his face when he spoke, so none of them were really sure what was going to happen.<p>

'So,' Orihime let the word linger in the air, then she grinned widely, 'Who's coming through this time? I'm excited!'

Ichigo sighed and rubbed the back of his head, 'I don't know, Urahara didn't say anything,' as he covered his face he added, 'Sneaky, evil, dodgy-,'

'We could be waiting all day,' Uryu glanced about the empty expanse of green grass as if the Senkaimon was just going to appear, unknowingly cutting Ichigo off.

'Patience,' Sado, or Chad, said slowly. He turned to look at Ichigo and noted the clear _impatience _in the orange haired teenager's expression. Orihime, whose attention could be caught by the smallest things, was staring at a small patch of pale flowers at the bottom of one of the nearby trees and murmuring to herself. Uryu was staring at the sky, eyes narrowed behind his glasses as he noted the new cloud spread.

They'd been changing every day, too rapidly to be completely natural.

'Look!' there was relief in Ichigo's tone when the gate began opening a few metres above their heads. The four of them hurried towards the middle of the field, trying to glimpse the emerging figures.

'Rukia!' Orihime and Ichigo spoke in unison as the petite shinigami jumped down to the ground, landing in a crouch.

'Hey Ichigo,' Rukia smiled at him, 'Orihime,' she jumped when the orange haired girl pulled her into a fierce hug.

'Matsumoto! Ikkaku! Yumichika!' for some reason Ichigo was yelling and it made Uryu want to cover his face in exasperation. Chad just watched on silently.

'Renji!' when the red head dropped down beside Rukia and Ichigo, the orange haired substitute shinigami shook him hard.

'Hey!' jumping backwards, the Lieutenant shouted at Ichigo, 'Watch it!'

'Stop making such a fuss,' the whole group turned to look back up at the Senkaimon when Toshiro spoke, 'I told you not to draw unnecessary attention to yourselves,'

'Toshiro,' Ichigo started to say something else when the white haired captain appeared before him, glaring fiercely.

'That's _Captain Hitsugaya_ to you,' Toshiro was forever correcting the substitute shinigami about that matter, but it was one he was never prepared to overlook.

'Okay, okay,' holding up his hands in surrender, Ichigo suddenly stopped, realising that the gate hadn't closed.

'Who's that?' Uryu, who was very talented at sensing reiatsu, looked up at the Senkaimon, noting the silhouette of another figure, indistinguishable because of the angle of the midday sun.

'Oh,' Toshiro glanced upwards again, 'Everyone, please greet Kanashimi Yuki,'

* * *

><p>Yuki hesitated at the edge of the Senkaimon, watching the familiar way everyone greeted each other. Even the cold way in which Hitsugaya reprimanded Kurosaki in was something that felt <em>normal<em>.

When the white haired captain did an introduction of sorts, she hid her lack of social knowledge and stepped from the gate, using shunpo to appear beside Hitsugaya.

'Kanashimi Yuki?' Ichigo noted the captain's haori she wore, 'Are you a new captain?'

'Of the Third Division,' Yuki nodded, lavender eyes studying the faces of each of the surprised group.

'Wow!' Orihime leapt forwards, standing before Kanashimi, who was about her height, and staring at her avidly, 'You're really beautiful! And you must be really talented to be a captain,'

Rukia sensed the surprise of the new captain so she pulled Orihime back a bit, 'Captain Kanashimi had been leading the Third Division for a week now,' smirking at Ichigo, she added, 'And she's a master of kido so be careful,'

Remembering how he'd broken out of Rukia's low level binding spell when they first met, Ichigo couldn't help but grin wryly, 'Got it,'

'You know who we are?' Chad asked suddenly, folding his arms.

'Of course,' Yuki glanced at him, then, turning to Ichigo, she said, 'Kurosaki Ichigo, substitute shinigami,' revolving further, 'Inoue Orihime, human whose powers are the ShunShun Rikka,' gaze falling on Uryu, she continued, 'Ishida Uryu, Quincy,' and then she addressed Chad again, 'Yasutora Sado, a human with Hollow-like powers, nicknamed 'Chad' by Kurosaki,'

'Hollow-like?' Chad was surprised that she knew.

Yuki just gazed at him, not letting on just how much she _did_ know.

* * *

><p>Author's Note:<p>

Normally stuff happens when shinigami go to the World of the Living . . . right?


	15. Chapter 15: Places to Stay

_Chapter 15: Places to Stay_

'So where are you lot going now?' Orihime turned to Rukia and waited expectantly for an answer, hoping that this mission wasn't going to be _all _work.

'We start the assignment officially tomorrow,' Rukia nodded, 'So now we just split and go to wherever we usually stay,' glancing at Ichigo, she added, 'And I'm _not _staying in your sisters' room again this time,'

'Wha-!' Ichigo could hardly believe his ears, 'What are you going to tell my family then?'

'Let them worry about it in their own time, it's not like I'm concerned about what they think,' the petite girl began marching off in the general direction of the Kurosaki Clinic and residence.

'Why you-,' racing after her, Ichigo yelled out but was completely ignored.

'That got rid of them,' Ikkaku muttered, then, louder, 'Come on Yumichika, let's go find that kid who usually lets us stay with him and his crazy sister,'

'I can't believe you even want to go back, the way she treats you,' the other shinigami smirked slightly, 'But oh well,' glancing at Toshiro he added, 'We're off,'

'Fine,' the white haired captain waved them away, 'Just don't hurt anyone!'

'I'm going to go to Urahara's,' Renji declared before walking off without another word. After a moment, Uryu excused himself and then, a few minutes later, Chad wandered away as well.

'So, can we stay with you again?' Matsumoto leaned towards Orihime, stopping centimetres before she would have hit the girl with her head, 'Please?'

'Of course!' Orihime sounded excited, 'And Rangiku, there's so many sales on in the stores! And we can do yummy cooking!'

'Yay!' both of them suddenly seemed quite similar.

Turning to her captain, Matsumoto added, 'Are you coming too?' then she blinked, 'What about Captain Kanashimi?'

Yuki flinched, hearing her name bringing her back to reality, 'Pardon?'

'Where are you going to stay?' Rangiku tilted her head to one side, tapping her chin, 'We don't normally have this many people, do we?'

'Don't worry, I'll find somewhere,' Yuki began, knowing Karakura Town well despite never going there as a shinigami.

'What?' both the captain and lieutenant of the Tenth Division stared at her in surprise.

'Really, it's fine,' Yuki turned, 'We meet at Urahara Shoten in the morning tomorrow, right?'

'That's right,' Toshiro nodded, putting aside his concern, 'See you then,'

'You can't seriously let her go off like that!' Matsumoto exclaimed once the captain was out of sight, shaking Toshiro violently, 'She's never even been to the Human World before!'

'And you know that for a fact?' the white haired captain was skeptical. For some reason he felt that Kanashimi had been in the World of the Living before, perhaps as part of the mission she'd been on before becoming a captain.

'No, but still,' Matsumoto whined, worried for the new captain, 'And anyway, how am I supposed to take her shopping if I don't know where she is?'

'Is she going to get a gigai?' Orihime asked suddenly.

'Probably tomorrow at Urahara's,' Toshiro replied, 'So I don't know where she's going to go tonight,'

'We shouldn't worry,' the thoughtfulness in Orihime's tone surprised the other two, 'She seems like a strong person,'

_But sad, _the teenager fiddled with some of her burnt orange hair, _She seems sad._

* * *

><p>'I-chi-go!' the loud shout of Kurosaki Isshin echoed through the Kurosaki house as Ichigo and Rukia stepped through the door. Ichigo raised a hand to block his father's energetic punch and then tossed the man aside.<p>

'Ichi-nii!' Yuzu, one of Ichigo's sisters, hurried over to greet him, a cooking spoon in one hand and a bowl in the other, 'You're back!'

'You're late,' Karin, Ichigo's other sister, appeared behind the smiling girl, scowling, 'What were you up to?'

'Hello everyone!' Rukia smiled at the three of them sweetly, dodging Isshin as he lunged at her, trying to hug her, 'It's nice to see you all again,'

'Lunch _is _ready!' Yuzu, despite smiling kindly, tapped the wooden spoon on the edge of the bowl impatiently, 'Come on!'

'Okay,' everyone nodded and filed into the dining room.

'What _were _you doing?' Karin wasn't willing to let Ichigo get away with not answering as she had the strong suspicion that him coming home at this time, although it was only around one thirty, had something to do with shinigami.

'Meeting some friends,' Ichigo began eating the lunch Yuzu had prepared.

'Friends?' the girl's tone was skeptical, 'Like who?'

'Chad, Ishida, Rukia and Inoue,' he replied offhandedly, ignoring Isshin's gasp of surprise when he said 'Inoue' – which the man always did – and continued, 'And four others who're visiting with Toshiro and Matsumoto,'

'Oh?' Yuzu looked interested as she dished out more rice, 'That's quite a gathering. It must have been fun!'

'Of course,' Rukia smiled sweetly again, noting Karin's surprised expression.

'Toshiro?' the black haired girl asked. She knew that the white haired boy was actually a shinigami captain, but she didn't think Ichigo knew that she knew.

'That's right,' Ichigo nodded knowledgeably.

The orange haired teenager suddenly sensed a change in Rukia's reiatsu and he was worried about what it meant.

Suddenly Rukia stood up, took her dishes to the sink, and said in a thoughtful voice, 'By the way, you don't have to make up a bed for me, I'll just stay in Ichigo's room,'

As she turned and went up the stairs, three wide pairs of eyes landed on Ichigo, causing him to flinch.

'What did she just say?' Yuzu leant across the table, 'Ichi-nii?'

'Did daddy hear her correctly?' Isshin moved closer too, staring intently at his son.

'Really Ichigo?' Karin did the opposite and leaned back in her chair, watching the whole thing pan out, a smirk hidden on her face.

'No, no, no,' Ichigo held up his hands, silently cursing Rukia, 'She wanted to sleep in the cupboard! You're getting it all wrong!'

'The cupboard?' both Isshin and Yuzu blinked in surprise, slumping back in their chairs, 'What do you mean?'

'Uh,' suddenly wondering how he was supposed to explain this one, Ichigo just stood up and raced to the stairs, 'Don't worry about it!'

'Ichigo!' Isshin yelled at him at the same time Yuzu wailed a high pitched 'Ichi-nii!'

'Shut up,' Karin covered her ears and glared at them, 'You're making too much noise,'

* * *

><p>'That sounds fun too,' Rangiku listened as Orihime told her about all of the newly opened shops or the most interesting food stores, and she felt so excited.<p>

'I hope you have time, being on a mission and all,' the girl was stretched out on the ground, reading a magazine.

'Of course I will,' Matsumoto hoped her captain wasn't listening to them or else she'd be in trouble again, 'Don't worry about it,'

Orihime send a sideways glance at the older woman, then she sat up and asked, 'About Kanashimi,' she paused, 'Who is she?'

Surprised by the odd question, Rangiku replied, 'She's the new captain of the Third Division,'

'I know,' Orihime wasn't sure how to ask her question properly, 'But _who _is she? Does anyone really know her?'

'Nope,' the Lieutenant wasn't worried in the slightest, 'I read in the official document the captain received on her that she was on a long-term mission prior to becoming a captain. Why do you ask?'

'I just felt concerned for her,' the girl was self-conscious, 'She seems strong, but there's something, I don't know, _sorrowful_ about her,'

'You noticed too?' Matsumoto patted Orihime's head in a paternal way, 'Don't worry, I'm sure she'll be fine,'

'I know,' smiling, Orihime stood up and wandered into the kitchen, 'Even though I don't know her at all, I feel as if she _will _be okay,'

* * *

><p>Author's Note:<p>

Rukia . . . that was kind of mean of her , , ,


	16. Chapter 16: Are you a Shinigami?

_Chapter 16: Are you a Shinigami?_

Yuki stopped in front of a tall, modern block of apartments, her eyes dark and her right hand clenched around the hilt of her zanpakuto. She didn't sense any danger, but the feel of the katana calmed her.

_This, _she looked upwards, _Brings back memories._

Walking through the doors, she walked to the elevator and waited as it rose up through the many floors in the building. As it stopped and the doors opened, the captain walked out and turned left, passing closed doors until she reached the last one at the end of the corridor. Kneeling before it, the afternoon sunlight streaming through the nearby window and illuminating her figure, Yuki bowed.

* * *

><p>Arisawa Tatsuki frowned as she hammered on the locked door for the third time. She was waiting for the occupant to open up. The guy was in her class at school and he owed her money for the bet he lost. Finally, a white envelope slid under the door with a fearful 'please go away' sounding at the same time.<p>

Picking up the paper, she opened it and checked the contents, then, satisfied, she called out, 'Thanks, see you later,'

'Whatever! Just go!'

_What a wimp_, the black haired girl grumbled mentally, _He shouldn't make bets he's not willing to pay. Just wait till I see him at school tomorrow_.

She looked up suddenly just as she reached the elevator, brown eyes blinking as she noticed a young woman who looked about two years older than her, kneeling before one of the doors, bowing.

Tatsuki suddenly noticed the odd outfit that the girl was wearing and her eyes widened as she realised how similar it was to the one she saw Ichigo wearing sometimes. A frown crossed her face as she remembered how hard it had been to get her old friend to talk a bit about why he wore a, her frown deepened as she tried to remember, shihakusho and carried a katana.

_He called it a zanpakuto_, she thought absently, suddenly noticing the blade at the woman's waist.

'Hey,' after a moment's hesitation, she decided to approach the girl, calling out to her, 'Are you a shinigami?'

Once the woman stood, Tatsuki realised that she was just a bit shorter than her, which annoyed her a bit.

'A shinigami?' the voice was deeper than the teenager had expected.

'You're wearing a,' again Tatsuki forgot the word, 'Shihakusho, and you've got a zanpakuto,'

'Who are you?' violet eyes locked onto brown ones.

'Arisawa Tatsuki,' Tatsuki replied, wondering why she wasn't concerned about talking to this lady seeing as she was a stranger, and one carrying a katana at that, 'I go to Karakura High School,'

'Karakura High School?' the pale girl paused, 'Do you know Kurosaki Ichigo?'

Surprised, Tatsuki blinked, 'What? Ichigo? Yeah, I've known him for years, met him at the karate dojo. He's in my class at school,' she paused suddenly, 'Why do you ask?'

'I met Kurosaki today,' the woman paused suddenly, 'I'm Kanashimi Yuki, by the way,'

'Why are you wearing that white thing over your shihakusho?' arriving before Yuki, Tatsuki touched the white fabric, still annoyed that she had to look up ever so slightly to meet the woman's gaze.

'It's a haori,' Yuki answered before asking a question of her own, 'How do you know about shinigami?'

'I'm guessing that means you _are _one,' Tatsuki grinned and cracked her knuckles, 'I promised Ichigo living hell if he didn't tell me a little about his part time job,'

Yuki couldn't help but think that 'living hell' and 'part time job' were kind of ironic things to say considering the nature of a shinigami's work.

'Anyway,' Tatsuki continued, one hand rubbing her spiky black hair, 'He told me a bit about shinigami and the Soul Society,' returning her attention to the haori, she asked, 'Why do you wear one of those and not Ichigo?'

'Because I'm a captain and he's not,' Yuki was trying to answer as truthfully as possible, but the girl's behaviour confused her slightly. If she was Ichigo's friend and knew about shinigami, then talking to her wouldn't do any harm. And if it did, she had ways of fixing the resulting problem. Many ways.

'A captain?' Tatsuki was decidedly confused, 'Shinigami have captains?' considering the matter, she asked, 'Are you more powerful than a normal shinigami?' Yuki nodded and the girl continued, 'Are you stronger than Ichigo?'

'Kurosaki is a powerful shinigami,' Yuki paused, 'I don't know whether or not I could beat him,'

With kido it would make things a lot easier, but in a battle without it, she didn't try to predict the outcome. After all, what was the point?

'Why are you just telling me all this? Are you going to kill me?' Tatsuki asked casually.

'I'm telling you because you're one of Kurosaki's close friends and I don't think you'd give out this information recklessly,' Yuki was truthful, once again, 'So no, I'm not going to kill you,'

Satisfied, the teenager changed the subject, 'What were you doing just now?'

'Nothing,' Yuki shook her head, eyes closing.

'Um,' suddenly realising how awkward she was probably being to someone not accustomed to humans and all that, Tatsuki cast around for something to say, 'Why did you come here?'

'To the World of the Living?' Yuki nodded, 'I came with a group about a matter concerning this town,'

'Oh,' not wanted to push the subject any further, just in case, Tatsuki paused, 'Where do you all stay? I mean, quite a few people can see ghosts and stuff here,'

'Usually with acquaintances of Kurosaki's,' Yuki was wondering just how long the girl was going to keep talking as it was making her uncomfortable.

'I see,' Tatsuki suddenly noticed the time and she almost swore, 'Great, I'm going to be late,' looking up again, she said, 'See you around Yuki,'

The captain was too surprised by the casual use of her first name to respond. She knew she'd be seeing Arisawa Tatsuki again very soon, along with the rest of Kurosaki's class.

_Arisawa, _she thought to herself as she opened the window, _Don't try to tell anyone that you met me. As soon as you do, your memory of this afternoon's conversation will be destroyed. There is kido on you._

Not hesitating once, Yuki jumped from the windowsill.

* * *

><p>'Dinner's ready Captain!' Rangiku called out to the white haired shinigami, knowing that he was on the roof. They had to be careful as, because they were in gigais now, anyone would be able to see them.<p>

'What is it?' Toshiro was slightly apprehensive, knowing that both women had odd tastes, but he hardly had any other options.

'Don't worry, Orihime bought you something from the store,' Matsumoto laughed, imagining her captain's expression, 'Hurry up,'

'Coming,' jumping down from the roof, the young captain straightened his black polo shirt before entering the apartment, wondering why it always seemed to be lopsided. Gigais were fickle things.

'Eat up,' Orihime laughed as both shinigami sat down, she considered them for a minute and then asked, 'What are you lot doing tomorrow?'

'Meeting with Urahara,' Toshiro replied, 'Then probably just examining the sky,'

'Sounds boring,' Matsumoto complained, 'I wanted to shop,'

'I can't believe you have the nerve to say that when I'm right here,' the white haired captain sighed at her, 'At least don't_ tell_ me when you're going to skip your duties,'

Orihime couldn't help but laugh as the two began bickering. She was looking forward to the next day. It was a school day and she'd be able to see her best friend Tatsuki. And of course she'd see Kurosaki and the others. It was going to be fun!

* * *

><p>Author's Note:<p>

Orihime can cook dangerous things, no? And poor Kanashimi, so many questions . . .


	17. Chapter 17: Holiday and Visit

_Chapter 17: Holiday + Visit_

'Welcome!' Urahara Kisuke was smiling widely as he ushered the six shinigami inside his store, which was currently 'closed'. The shopkeeper studied each face as they filed past him, eyes lingering on Kanashimi. Renji wandered in from the back of the store and sat beside Ikkaku as they all moved around Urahara's table.

'So you're Kanashimi Yuki,' Kisuke waited until everyone was seated before beginning, 'How are you finding it? Being a captain?'

'Quite fine,' lavender eyes were shaded by her thin, dark fringe, 'You were a captain once. You'd know how it feels,'

'That's right!' flicking open his fan and fluttering it before his face, Urahara tilted his head so his own eyes were in the darkness created by his signature hat, 'Although I don't think I made a very good impression,' he trailed off.

'What did you need to see us about?' Toshiro had hoped that they wouldn't waste too much time here but as it was, the time was around ten.

'Ah yes,' snapping shut the fan, the shopkeeper leaned forwards, 'I think it's safe to say that whatever's causing the disturbance in the sky isn't a Hollow, or a shinigami,'

'Oh?' Renji was surprised, 'Then what is it? A human?'

'Don't be absurd!' Urahara exclaimed rudely, 'Of course not! As of yet, this phenomenon has no rational explanation! Or any explanation at all,'

'Then why were all of us sent out here?' Ikkaku couldn't believe it – no exciting enemies meant no exciting fights which meant nothing at all.

'I have no idea,' no one could work out why the man was so cheerful.

'Then should we go back?' Yumichika pondered out loud.

'No, no!' Urahara waved his hands in horror, 'Definitely not! Stay and have a holiday for a week! They work you far too hard,'

'A holiday?' Toshiro deadpanned, his expression perfectly disbelieving.

'That's right,' the shopkeeper stood and pointed his cane at Kanashimi, 'By the way, the Soul Society sent a gigai for you last night. Please come this way,'

As Yuki stood and left the room with Urahara, everyone else turned to stare at each other in surprise.

'Yay! Shopping!' Matsumoto really was the only one super happy to be staying.

* * *

><p>'Oh well, the Kurosaki family will be pleased that I'm staying longer this time,' Rukia sighed as the group left the store, standing on the edge of the road and readjusting their clothes to be presentable in human society.<p>

'That kid won't be,' Ikkaku laughed as he stretched, one hand adjusting the wooden sword in his belt.

'Look,' Yumichika drew everyone's attention back to the shop and they all turned.

'She's so cute,' Matsumoto cooed as Kanashimi walked over to them, now clearly visible to anyone who wasn't actually physically blind, 'Don't you think?' she tilted her head to one side, 'I like her outfit. It looks very _in_,'  
>The woman was oblivious to the fact that she was being ignored.<p>

The captain was wearing a short sleeved plain grey shirt and black pants with a dark jacket over on arm and a white scarf wrapped around her neck.

No one else thought that 'cute' was exactly the right word. Rukia thought she was 'awe-inspiring and worthy of being called amazing', Yumichika thought she was 'absolutely stunning', Toshiro wasn't sure what to think, and Ikkaku and Renji couldn't see what the fuss was about. Seeing the look on Matsumoto's face, Kanashimi couldn't work it out either.

'What are we supposed to do for the rest of the day?' Renji decided to break the silence, 'We don't have any mission at all, what a waste of time,'

'Just go on a normal Hollow patrol and I guess you're all going to have to have a holiday,' Toshiro sighed deeply, 'I really can't believe this,'

'I want to take you somewhere,' Matsumoto had appeared beside Yuki and was pulling at her sleeve, obviously deciding that, since she didn't _look _like a captain, she didn't need to be treated like one.

'Matsumoto,' Yuki's voice was cool, 'Let go,'

Ducking and scampering away, Rangiku hid behind her captain, trying not to meet the violet gaze of Kanashimi just in case she was going to put another strange kido on her.

'Hey everyone,' Renji had a wicked smile on his face, 'I've got a plan on how to kill some time,'

* * *

><p>'Ready?' the seven shinigami, still in gigais, stood before the gates of Karakura High School, pausing for a moment, 'Then let's go!'<p>

Matsumoto was, as usual, using the school uniform as a weapon of mass destruction, and she flaunted her ample curves without any sort of embarrassment. Ikkaku and Renji weren't wearing the uniform correctly, shirts open at the top and ties missing, and Yumichika, Toshiro and Rukia were the closest to the dress code. Although she'd been reluctant to come, for some unknown reason, Yuki was also dressed in the girl's uniform, despite her obvious distaste for it.

'Let's just hurry, I can't believe I'm letting you do this,' Toshiro muttered as they walked through the gates.

As the group passed through the first corridor, the number of stares they were receiving was increasing steadily. Murmurs and whispers flew around and quite a few of the male students had to try extremely hard to keep their eyes on the faces of Matsumoto and Kanashimi instead of their legs.

One boy tripped over his own feet when Matsumoto turned to glance at her reflection in the window and almost knocked him flat when her rather well developed chest turned as well. The girls couldn't work out whether or not to be frightened or attracted to the three men who were strangely dressed in the school's uniform, and the boys were wondering if they should try and talk to Matsumoto or Kanashimi. Some people recognised Rukia and Renji, as the pair had been to the school more often than the others, but no one actually came up to them.

'This was a bad idea,' Toshiro grumbled as he heard someone else say 'look! It's a silver haired middle-schooler!'

* * *

><p>Ichigo was feeling nervous. Lunch break was about to end and he was still sitting at his desk, but something seemed <em>off<em>. Orihime and Chad walked over to his desk, followed by Uryu, and they paused, noting his agitated expression.

'Are you alright?' Inoue asked hesitantly.

'Fine,' Ichigo shook his head, 'It's just that-,'

'Ichigo!'

The shout made everyone still in the room jump and their heads snapped to the doorway. Rukia stood in the centre, hands on her hips and a smile on her face, flanked by the others.

'R-rukia?' Ichigo stared at her in mild horror, recalling the last time she'd arrived like this with the others, 'What are you doing?'

'We came to pay you a visit! Be grateful,' Renji walked past Rukia and slumped into someone's chair. Ikkaku perched on another desk and Yumichika leant against the board at the front of the room. Matsumoto waltzed in and sent a superior stare down the room at the other students, then Kanashimi and Toshiro moved through the doorway as well and leant against adjacent walls.

'A visit?' the orange haired teenager was sure that they were really just here to harass him and he was just about right, 'Why couldn't you have waited until after school had finished?'

'Because,' Rukia slapped his face none too gently, in an offhand manner, 'We came to attend the rest of the school day with you. I'm sure the teacher will fit us in somewhere,'

'What?' Ichigo was now very alarmed and he hoped that they wouldn't cause too much trouble.

'Look here,' Ochi Misato, the teacher of this particular class, walked in the door suddenly, 'New students, how nice. They can take the place of those two delinquents who never show up!'

'Teacher!' Ichigo sat bolt upright and stared at her, mildly horrified that the woman would just let the shinigami join the class.

'Don't get so surprised, Kurosaki! Be flexible! Anyway, don't you know them?' not waiting for an answer, the woman took her place at the front of the room, shooing Yumichika away, and began writing on the board.

As the rest of the students filed in, staring at the new group, Misato directed everyone to a seat. Luckily for the shinigami, there were quite a few students away so there were just enough spare seats.

Toshiro noted that Kanashimi had been absolutely silent ever since they entered the classroom and he wondered why. Still, her expression darkened when the bright and cheerful teacher directed her to the last seat in the room – one right at the back of the classroom next to the windows.

'Now, let's begin,'

* * *

><p>Yuki couldn't stand being where she was. The desk, the windows, the similar classroom – she couldn't take it. Standing abruptly, the harsh noise the chair made causing the teacher to fall silent, she walked out of the room, not looking back once.<p>

_You shouldn't have done that,_ she thought as she rushed to the nearest window and jumped out, _They'll ask questions. You could've just put up with it. _

As she neared the edge of the school grounds, she slumped against a tree, haunted eyes wide, hands clutching her head.

_Don't break. Don't break now. Just a bit longer. Hold on for a just bit longer. _

_Please_.

* * *

><p>Author's Note:<p>

Renji . . . the ideas in that shinigami's head aren't exactly original or very imaginative, but in terms of annoying Ichigo . . . I think they work just fine


	18. Chapter 18: Dinner at the Kurosaki House

_Chapter 18: Dinner at the Kurosaki House_

Ichigo, his friends, and the group of shinigami, found Kanashimi waiting for them at the school gates, once again dressed in plain clothes. She was attracting stares and a few people looked like they were seriously thinking about approaching her. That was, until the rest of the group arrived, anyway.

Tatsuki saw the woman, Kanashimi Yuki, and blinked in surprise, 'Hey,'

Suddenly she fell silent, a strange look passing across her face. Yuki realised immediately that the kido she'd placed on the girl the day before had activated and the memory had been completely erased. There was no way to negate that spell.

'Who's that?' Tatsuki turned to Orihime who was walking beside her, 'A friend of yours?'

'Not a friend, that would be far too wonderful, but I know her,' skipping over to Yuki, Orihime added, 'Tatsuki, this is Kanashimi Yuki,'

'I'm Arisawa Tatsuki, nice to meet you Yuki,' the girl held out her hand and Yuki shook it politely, trying once again to ignore the easy use of her first name.

'So where are you lot going now?' Ichigo asked, directing the question at Toshiro.

'Your place of course,' Renji laughed, 'Where else?'

'Hey! Don't I get a say in this?' the orange haired substitute shinigami was outraged.

'No,' Rukia tugged on his sleeve, 'Let's go. Coming Orihime?'

'Yep!' taking Tatauki's arm, the smiling girl followed the petite shinigami.

_This ought to be good_, Toshiro hid his smirk as he imagined the Kurosaki family's reaction to the group turning up at their doorstep.

* * *

><p>'What's all this?' Isshin cried out in shock, 'Son! How can you bring so many people home!' then he saw Orihime, Matsumoto, and Kanashimi, 'Aaah! Why are you bringing home so many beautiful girls?'<p>

Matsumoto was secretly very pleased to be included in 'beautiful _girls_' but she kept it to herself. Orihime was embarrassed, having only been to the Kurosaki house once, and that was in secret. And Yuki was indifferent to the whole matter.

'Ichi-nii!' Yuzu's eyes were as wide as dinner plates, 'So many people,' she did a quick count, 'Seven!'

Ichigo was glad that Yumichika, Ikkaku, Chad and Uryu hadn't come, or else his family would have made an even bigger fuss, 'Calm down,'

'Calm down? How can you say that?' Isshin glared at him as if he was horrified, turning to Yuzu, he exclaimed, 'Make more food! They'll all have to stay for dinner!'

'Okay!' rushing off, Yuzu was briefly apprehended by Karin as she walked over to see what the fuss was about, before pushing past her and running to the kitchen.

'What's going on?' as she spoke, Ichigo led the way into the house, and the black haired girl's dark eyes widened in surprise.

Not only were Rukia and Tatsuki walking in, but _Orihime _was too. Karin remembered saying something about not being surprised about her brother bringing people home until he brought Inoue Orihime into their house, but it was vague.

Still, that didn't change the fact that Orihime was leading Tatsuki into the living room. Or the fact that a woman with a rather astonishing chest was following. _Or _the fact that a young woman who looked like a model, despite the fact that _her _chest was more like Tatsuki's, perhaps even less obvious, was also wandering past.

'Wha-,' the girl gaped at Renji when he walked by, eyes tracing his tattoos, and then she blinked in surprise when Toshiro appeared, walking behind Isshin, 'Toshiro?'

'Oh,' turquoise eyes fell on the girl, 'Hello Karin,'

Karin was unable to say anything. She couldn't believe her older brother had brought all these people home, one of which was Toshiro, the boy who'd helped her team win a soccer match one time.

'Karin! I need help!' Yuzu's frantic call startled her out of her frozen state and she turned, hurrying to her sister's aid.

* * *

><p>Yuki watched from one side of the room as everyone sat and began talking. Inoue and Arisawa were wrapped up in their own little conversation, and Kuchiki, Kurosaki, Abarai and Matsumoto were also conversing, although it seemed like they were arguing mostly. And Hitsugaya was also surveying the barely controlled chaos with a pained expression on his face.<p>

No one had asked her why she'd left earlier in the day and she was grateful, if a little confused. Having such limited social knowledge was really starting to become a problem because, even if you were a keen observer, which she was, you didn't really understand the interaction between people unless you were part of it.

Her mind drifted to the last time she'd really spoken to someone before becoming a captain.

'_Hurry up!' a shinigami with short blonde hair stood on top of a ridge and yelled at the four others, 'We don't have all day,'_

'_That's insulting,' Yuki spoke to him, appearing beside him with shunpo, 'You shouldn't underestimate me, Minoru,'_

_She watched the flicker of uncertainty pass over the man's face. She was being treated differently, again. Suddenly her eyes widened, 'Get out of the way!'_

'_Urgh,' Minoru crumpled to the ground, eyes wide in shock as the long claws retracted from his body. He was dead, no life showed in his still open eyes._

_Spinning around, Yuki slashed the Hollow in half with her zanpakuto and then turned to face the others. Her hand tightened on the hilt of the katana as she watched two more Hollows slash the other three shinigami to pieces. _

'_Why didn't you even draw your zanpakuto?' she asked quietly as she finished off the Hollows easily, 'You wanted to come with me. You wanted to come on this mission. So why didn't you draw your zanpakuto?'_

_Turning away, the shinigami walked over the ridge, 'I will complete this mission alone,'  
><em>

'Are you alright?' Yuki almost jumped when she heard Hitsugaya's voice. Purple eyes focusing suddenly, she realised that he was directly in front of her.

Toshiro saw her flinch and he thought it odd, considering how nothing had ever seemed to be able to sneak up on her before. Still, from the feel of her reiatsu, she'd been in deep thought.

'Fine,' nodding, Yuki leaned back against the wall again.

'About today,' the white haired captain sensed her tense slightly beside him, 'Are you sure you're okay?'

'Really, it's nothing,' her blank tone did nothing to make figuring out her problem any easier and Toshiro sighed.

'If you want to talk, I'll listen,' he didn't exactly know why he was saying that, considering the fact that he was usually rather cold towards everyone, but he spoke anyway.

Yuki blinked in surprise and was about to speak when Yuzu appeared in the doorway, calling out, 'Dinner's ready everyone!'

'Oh, okay,' Ichigo stood and directed everyone to the table, 'Coming,'

* * *

><p>'This looks delicious,' Matsumoto smiled at the small cook, 'You're so talented and cute,'<p>

Before Yuzu could react, Rangiku had picked her up in a bear hug and didn't seem to be planning to let her go. It was only after Toshiro glared at her, something Karin noticed, that she let go.

'Eat!' Isshin ordered, sitting at one end of the table, 'Now!'

'Daddy!' Yuzu protested, 'Be nice!'

'Just ignore him Yuzu,' Karin said dryly, 'If you don't react he'll stop,'

'Stop? Daddy never stops!' the head of the Kurosaki family jumped up and did a handstand on his chair, 'See! I could eat my dinner upside down!'

'Get lost!' Ichigo stood up from his chair and punched the man, sending him flying backwards, 'You'll fall on the food,'

'Shouldn't you be more worried about me?' clutching a bleeding nose, Isshin slunk back to the table sheepishly.

'No,' Karin and Ichigo said at the same time. Glancing at each other, they couldn't help but smile wryly.

'This _is _delicious!' Matsumoto exclaimed suddenly, looking across at Yuzu, she winked, 'You're a great chef,'

'I think it's wonderful too,' Orihime sighed in satisfaction, 'What a nice way to finish an exciting day,'

'Just be quiet and eat,' Tatsuki ordered in a paternal way.

'Do you want me to feed yo-,' Ichigo cut his father off with another well aimed punch and turned to Orihime apologetically.

'Please ignore him, Inoue,' he sighed deeply, calming himself down.

'Don't worry about it! I'm just so glad that we can all be together like this,' raising her chopsticks, Orihime declared loudly, 'Here's to having a year full of fun and adventure!'

'Just calm down,' Tatsuki pulled her friend's arm back and sighed almost as heavily as Ichigo.

Yuki watched everything carefully and then she thought, _This atmosphere, it seems so close. Would I have experienced this as a human? Would it have been like this if I wasn't the way I am?_

* * *

><p><em>Author's Note:<em>

Poor Ichigo, he must be having a hard time lately. And Renji's little ideas are still number one on his stress list, perhaps . . .


	19. Chapter 19: I Hate Holidays

_Chapter 19: I Hate Holidays_

Last night she'd eaten with a group of kind, warm-hearted people, tonight, Yuki sat alone, gazing at the sky.

Memories were strange things, they could be repressed or shared or forgotten, but it was always the event that caused them that was the source of the problem or the beginning of the nightmare. Yuki knew that not all memories were bad, even she had some fond ones of kinder times. But the majority of the recorded sights, sounds and feelings she had trapped deep in her mind were dark and painful.

She was a distant person. She could be cold and sometimes even heartless. But she had emotions, although she hid them well.

The leaves of the tall tree rustled around her as she watched the clouds drift across the moon-illuminated blackness.

_Hitsugaya Toshiro_, she changed her line of thought slightly, _Why did you say that? It, _she paused, _Doesn't seem like a normal_ _thing for you to do._

The captain frowned when she remembered how tempting it had been, how easily she would have told Hitsugaya some truths. But she couldn't, not ever. Those thoughts were poison and it would be cruel to pour such darkness into someone else's mind. Wouldn't it? Sure, some people said that sharing your fears helped you get over them, but who would want to listen to what was inside her mind?

_Karakura High School_, her mind drifted to that incident, _How did I think I was ready to face all that again? Foolish_, her frown deepened, and then she blinked, _And Arisawa couldn't help herself, could she?_ a faint smile touched her lips, _Well, of course she couldn't._

Yuki sighed, she knew she should face the memories, knew she _had _to, but she wasn't ready, not just yet.

Leaning back against the tree trunk, violet eyes closed and a kido light spun from pale hands.

* * *

><p>'Be quiet!' Toshiro glared at Matsumoto as she began singing another off key pop song, 'Be more considerate!'<p>

He was tired. A day running around after his Lieutenant as she raced through shop after shop creating chaos wherever she went really tired him out. He'd been unable to contact Ikkaku or Yumichika and assumed that they were fighting Hollows and harassing Kurumadani Zennosuke, the shinigami stationed in Karakura, just for sport. Rukia would've been in school with Orihime and that lot, and Renji was probably lazing around doing nothing at Urahara's. Kanashimi . . . well no one knew where she was. It was odd, considering that she was a captain, but since she wasn't officially on duty, he guessed that she just preferred to be alone.

The new captain _was _a definite mystery, with her appearance and her kido skills, and also the cloud of dark sorrow that she seemed to carry around. Toshiro was certain that anyone who encountered her would be sure to notice it, and he couldn't help wondering what was troubling her so deeply.

Shaking his head and turning his attention to something else, Toshiro decided to go to sleep, having had absolutely _enough_ of Matsumoto.

* * *

><p>'Good morning Captain!' Toshiro sat up so fast that he hit his head on the side table he was sleeping under, Matsumoto jerked backwards and laughed.<p>

'Why was I sleeping under a table?' the white haired captain grumbled as he stood up, rubbing his head, 'Matsumoto?'

'Oh,' Rangiku hurried to the door, 'A-ask Orihime,'

'I know it's because of _you_,' moving out of the room, Toshiro sighed and scanned the apartment for Inoue, 'Where is she?'

'At school,' the Lieutenant sounded triumphant as she spooned out a bowl of _something _for herself to eat, 'Want some?'

'No!' the young captain raced to the door and out of the apartment with speed his gigai could only just cope with. He was about to jump onto the roof when he sensed a group of Hollows nearby. Ikkaku and Yumichika were already heading that way, along with Renji.

'Matsumoto!' removing his gigai, Toshiro leapt into the air, calling out for the bubbly woman, 'Hurry!'

Not all of them really needed to go and fight, but it gave him something to do, and he wasn't going to let Matsumoto just stay in Inoue's apartment by herself, who knew what she'd do.

'Yes captain!' appearing in her shinigami form, Rangiku followed Toshiro towards the Hollows.

* * *

><p>Rukia blinked when her phone started making a beeping sound that definitely meant 'Hollows and lots of them'. Glancing across at Ichigo, she saw that he'd noticed his Substitute Shinigami Badge making its little warning sound as well.<p>

Misato turned around to address the class and was surprised to see Rukia, Ichigo, Chad, Uryu and Orihime all standing and looking uncomfortable, she frowned, 'Is anything wrong?'

'Teacher! I need to go to the bathroom!' five voices shouted out and then all of them raced out the door.

'Oh, okay then. Come back soon!' she waved at Orihime as the girl passed but she didn't notice. Turning back to the rest of her students, she couldn't work out why they all looked so disbelieving.

* * *

><p>'Heehee,' Yumichika flinched when he saw Renji peering out from behind a tree with a really <em>evil but goofy <em>look on his face. The man crept across to another tree and then ducked, looking around carefully.

'What's with him?' Ikkaku glanced across and noticed what his friend was staring at.

'Heehee,' the weird laugh was freaking the two Eleventh Division members out, 'I'll just go over here and-,'

'Don't you even think about it!' Renji jumped over Ikkaku's head and landed beside the tree, dragging the sneaky man out, 'Behave!'

'It was a mod soul,' Yumichika couldn't help but chuckle slightly, 'I thought it was a bit odd,'

'Don't destroy that gigai,' the red head warned his mirror image, albeit with a completely different expression, seriously, 'Or else,'

'Heeh-,' forgetting that he was going to need the gigai later, Renji punched it in the face, sending it flying away.

'Stop wasting time,' Toshiro arrived along with Matsumoto, frowning deeply.

'Captain Hitsugaya!' Rukia and the others ran over, 'Where are the Hollows?' she paused when she realised that she couldn't sense any.

'Some Hollows, who aren't adjuchas and definitely not vasto lordes, can still pose a deadly threat to shinigami,' everyone turned as Kanashimi appeared, 'They're hiding their reiatsu,'

'Oh,' nodding, Matsumoto drew her zanpakuto, 'Then how are we supposed to know where they are to fight them,'

A huge pair of claws sliced past her head, missing her face by inches. As everyone watched, a whole hoard of Hollows appeared.

'Piece of cake!' Ikkaku wasn't exactly sure what the saying meant, although he was pretty certain it didn't have much to do with cake, but he yelled it out anyway, having heard it earlier on in the day.

'Ikkaku,' Yumichika began, only to be cut of when he was forced to jump out of the way to avoid an attack. Frowning slightly, the man drew his zanpakuto and began slashing away with it.

'Let's do this!' Ichigo already had Zangetsu before him and he didn't hesitate in leaping at the nearest Hollow.

'Be careful!' not having strong combat abilities, Orihime was just supposed to stay out of the way until someone got injured. Her Santen Kesshun shield should protect her from most attacks, but one of the other was normally looking out for her anyway.

'Hado 4. Byakurai,' the bolt of white lightning startled everyone but they quickly resumed their assault, knowing that Kanashimi was the kido caster.

'Hyaa!' Ikkaku and Yumichika were enjoying themselves, but they were about the only ones. Renji looked tired with the whole event, Matsumoto was angry that she was wasting 'valuable shopping time', Toshiro was just barely staying sane listening to his Lieutenant's ranting, and the others were just _fighting_.

Yuki took note of the unenthusiastic crowd around her and sighed slightly. Who knew getting a holiday would have such a negative effect of everyone. Raising her hands, she cast more kido, easily dispatching the Hollows, and then she whipped around, sensing the danger slightly before everyone else.

'Inoue!' the combined shout was fearful as a Hollow appeared seemingly out of nowhere and sent Orihime flying.

As the girl smacked into a tree, head lolling worryingly, one of the blue flower hairpins she wore slid from the auburn strands of her hair. The Hollow stepped forwards and moved in to kill her, foot crushing the clip. With a shout, Chad finished off the Hollow responsible while everyone let loose on the rest.

Once the last one had been felled, Rukia rushed over to her friend's barely conscious body, wide eyes noting the shattered pin, 'Oh no! Orihime!'

'Ungh,' struggling to sit up, the girl tried to smile at the petite shinigami, 'No, no, I'm fine. Really,'

'No you're not! And how are you supposed to heal yourself now?' Rukia had to be pulled back by Ichigo so as to stop shaking the injured teenager.

'Oh,' Orihime finally noticed the broken hairpin and her eyes filled with tears – there were memories attached to those, not just her powers, 'This can't happen,'

* * *

><p>As she watched Inoue begin to cry, Yuki stepped forwards and knelt beside the girl, one hand gently picking up the pieces of blue metal, 'Fukugen,'<p>

A black, faintly blue tinted glow surrounded her hand and, slowly, the pin was restored. Rukia felt her eyes widen and she knew she'd never seen kido used like that, she wasn't even sure if it _was _kido.

'Here,' Yuki retreated quickly after handing the clip back, eyes shaded by her fringe.

'Wait!' sensing that the captain was about to vanish, Orihime called out as her Soten Kisshun enveloped her battered body, 'Thank you,'

Toshiro watched the uncertainty flicker through the captain's lavender eyes before she turned and vanished.

'What's going to happen now?' Renji appeared in his gigai, rubbing his chin with a disgruntled expression, 'What should we do?'

'Nothing,' Toshiro's voice was calm, but in his head a steady rhythm of 'I hate holidays' was beginning to pound away, 'Just go back to whatever you were doing before you came here,'

'Let's go train at Urahara's,' Ichigo declared suddenly, 'I don't want to go back to school,'

'Me neither,' despite _not _having to actually return if she didn't want to, Rukia added her support.

'You can, but I'm going back to school this time,' Uryu sighed and pushed up his glasses as he turned away, 'If I have to make up excuses for you lot,' since he was facing the opposite direction, no one saw the slight smirk on his face, 'Don't get mad with the results,'

'What's that supposed to mean?' Ichigo sounded skeptical and he surveyed Uryu carefully.

'Nothing,' the Quincy turned and walked away.

'Urahara's it is then,' feeling satisfied, the orange haired teenager began to race off in the direction of Urahara Shoten.

* * *

><p>'No,' Urahara stood in the gap between the partly open door and the frame, 'I won't allow it,'<p>

Toshiro, who'd been dragged along by Matsumoto, glared darkly at a nail on the fence, trying to stay calm. Kurosaki's plan hadn't really worked out the way the teenager wanted so now the whole group was standing before Urahara Shoten and wishing they hadn't bothered coming. Matsumoto was muttering about 'one day long sales' and fidgeting in an annoying way. Ikkaku and Yumichika just turned and walked off, something that was becoming standard for the pair, then Urahara let Renji in, and told everyone else to go away.

Ichigo, Orihime, Chad and Rukia weren't looking forward to going back to school, so they just decided to keep skipping and do something else.

'I'll take this girl,' Matsumoto grasped Orihime's wrist and tugged at her, 'We're going shopping, 'kay?'

'Chad, Rukia! Let's go,' Ichigo didn't know _where _exactly he wanted to go anymore, but it was anywhere but here or school, 'See you around Toshiro,'

'That's Captain Hitsugaya!' Toshiro's shout was ignored as the other three walked away.

As he was incredibly stressed out, Toshiro decided to go to the one place in Karakura Town that he knew would be peaceful and relaxing.

* * *

><p>Toshiro walked along the wide path that would take him to the top of the gentle hill. This place was on the edge of Karakura and the view of the sunset was breath taking. He came often when he was in the World of the Living as it really was such a tranquil area and the memories that surfaced while he was there were always of happier times. As the path began to slope upwards, Toshiro suddenly noticed that there was someone sitting on the low metal side railing, at approximately the same spot he always went to, the one just before the stairs.<p>

'Kanashimi?' he was surprised, pausing where he was, still quite a distance from her.

'Hitsugaya?' Yuki flinched when she heard his voice, so absorbed in the view of the setting sun that she hadn't even sensed him approach. Turning, lavender eyes fell on the white haired captain.

'Do you . . . like the sunset?' Toshiro wasn't exactly comfortable with the circumstances, but he swung his legs over the rail and sat down too.

'I always have,' there was a darkness in her eyes when she spoke, then her expression lightened, 'I'm guessing you do too?'

'That's right,' turquoise eyes surveyed the brilliant gold orb as it began to dip below the distant horizon, 'It brings back memories,'

'Memories,' her voice was quiet as she echoed his word. Her right hand, hidden by her side, clenched tightly.

'Have you been to Karakura before?' Toshiro wasn't sure what to say, but he got the feeling that she knew the town. Before he'd just thought that she'd been to the World of the Living, but now it seemed to him like she'd been _here_.

'Of course,' her voice was hollow, 'Of course I have,'

The other captain didn't exactly see how it was an 'of course', but he remained silent.

'This town holds many memories for me,' Yuki returned her gaze to the sunset and her voice was distant as if she didn't realise she was speaking, 'I haven't been here in a long time though, not since I was a human,'

'A human?' Toshiro's clearly shocked tone made her blink and come back to the present, 'How can you possibly remember that?'

A flicker of something akin to fear passed across her face, a similar emotion reflected in her dark violet eyes. She stood and moved away from him, backing up like a caged animal, 'Captain Hitsugaya,' her voice was wintry, 'Some things are better left unknown,'

And then she vanished, somehow utilising shunpo despite being in her gigai.

* * *

><p>Author's Note:<p>

So Kanashimi's not as fearless as she might otherwise appear . . . or something


	20. Chapter 20: Wasting Time

_Chapter 20: Wasting Time_

'Is something the matter?' Matsumoto stared hard at her captain, sitting across the table from her as they ate breakfast, 'You look troubled,'

'Nothing,' Toshiro shook his head, trying to dispel thoughts about yesterday evening's events, 'Don't worry about it,' as she didn't look like she was going to drop the subject, he added, 'What are you planning to do today? Shopping?'

Rangiku's expression lost its intenseness and she grinned, 'Of course. Don't you think it's such a shame that Orihime still has to go to school?'

'No,' sighing, Toshiro tidied up the table and then got ready to leave the apartment, 'See you later, Matsumoto,'

'Right!' the Lieutenant was so preoccupied thinking about stores and what she wanted to buy that she didn't even ask where he was going.

* * *

><p>'Look out below!' Renji was laughing wildly as he sent his Bankai, his zanpakuto's second release form which resembled a snake, towards Chad and Uryu. The three of them <em>had <em>skipped school and were training below Urahara Shoten in the massive room that the shopkeeper himself has constructed.

'Watch your back,' Uryu appeared behind him, sending a rain of blue spirit-energy constructed arrows towards the red head.

'El Directo,' Chad's attack caught the shinigami Lieutenant off guard and he was sent flying backwards. Uryu himself only just managed to get out of the way to avoid being caught in the chaos created by the writhing of Abarai's zanpakuto.

'I wonder what Ichigo's doing now,' Chad mused thoughtfully, knowing that his orange haired friend, along with Inoue, Kuchiki and Arisawa, had also skipped out on school. He still didn't understand _how _Orihime, of all people, had convinced her best friend to miss a school day with her, but somehow she had.

'I heard that Kuchiki's going on a picnic with Kurosaki and his family,' Ishida appeared beside him, 'And that Inoue and Arisawa were going to a park where there were lots of butterflies and then they were planning to go shopping,'

'How do you know all that?' Renji walked over, zanpakuto sheathed, 'You can't just have _heard _it,'

'No, I did hear it!' Uryu went defensive, 'On the way here I passed Kurosaki, and that's what he said, and then Inoue was walking by with Arisawa and that's what _they _said,'

'Oh,' the red headed Lieutenant nodded apologetically, then he paused, 'A lot of butterflies?'

'Something like that,' the Quincy pushed up his glasses, 'They didn't elaborate,'

'Don't worry about it,' Chad called out his powers again, 'Let's just get back to work,'

* * *

><p>'Yuzu,' Ichigo fixed the brown haired girl with a stare, 'What <em>is <em>this?'

'Ah! Inoue gave it to me when she came over the other day,' Yuzu was smiling cheerfully, 'But I don't know what it is either,'

'Don't eat it,' Rukia snatched the disposable container from Ichigo's hand and raced over to a bin, tossing the box inside before anyone could react, 'It's dangerous,'

As she sat down again, Karin walked over, 'What's all the fuss about?'

'Inoue's cooking is dangerous,' Ichigo moved over slightly to allow his sister to sit down, 'Don't ever eat anything she gives you,'

'I never would've guessed,' Yuzu, being a wonderful cook, looked quite surprised, 'She _looks _like she might be good,'

'Looks can be deceiving, my dear Yuzu!' Isshin appeared out of nowhere and leapt towards the picnic blanket, 'Take me, for example,'

He was about to continue when Ichigo leapt up and sent him flying away, 'You'll crush the food!' he paused, 'And what do you mean _take you as an example_? You're as idiotic as you look!'

'I'm hurt, son!' flipping himself back up again, Isshin struck a pose, 'Masaki! Save me from our violent adolescent child!'

'Get lost!' Karin and Ichigo yelled, both wondering why their mad father always brought their mother into the conversation at inappropriate times.

'Sorry,' Isshin turned around, sat down on the ground, and began to sulk. Unfortunately for him, no one else really cared about what he was doing.

* * *

><p>'So how many Hollows have you killed?' Ikkaku leant against a nearby rail as he stared hard at Kurumadani Zennosuke. He and Yumichika had just saved the shinigami's life from a sneaky Hollow, and now they were doing their best to make him feel <em>uncomfortable<em>. After all, what else were they supposed to do? Holidays were just plain tiring.

'N-none of your business!' Zennosuke was trying very hard not to be intimidated and was failing miserably, 'Go away! You'll distract me from my work,'

'Distract you?' Yumichika rested his head on his hands, 'We just saved your life,'

'No! I was ready for that attack,' the shinigami wasn't to know that, since they'd had enough of Hollow fighting, the two Eleventh Division members had been watching him for at least an hour before that Hollow had appeared. They'd seen him lounging around, eating and doing nothing.

'No you weren't,' Ikkaku made it sound like he was chanting, 'No you weren't,'

'Yes I was,' Zennosuke didn't realise that they were just trying to make him look like a childish fool.

'No you weren't,' the bald man didn't seem to mind that this whole idea included lowering himself to the level that they were trying to push Kurumadani to.

Yumichika watched as they went backwards and forwards for about a quarter hour, and then Zennosuke threw up his hands, missing his rather _large _hairstyle by inches, and shouted, 'Fine! I wasn't!'

'We already knew that,' flicking his hair, Yumichika turned and began studying his reflection in a nearby window, 'You don't have to shout,'

Karakura Town's official resident shinigami decided that if these two were around much longer, he really _would _get killed by a Hollow.

'Let's go Yumichika,' Ikkaku had, apparently, lost interest.

'Coming,' with one final glance at his reflection, the other shinigami followed him away.

* * *

><p>'Uh,' Tatsuki watched as her best friend attempted to lay out a picnic blanket and ended up laying out herself instead, 'Why did you get me to skip school with you?'<p>

Sprawled on the ground, Orihime replied as best she could, 'Because Kurosaki and everyone weren't going to be there so I thought maybe we should do something too,'

'Oh?' thinking about it, the karate champion realised that she _had _seen Uryu on the way, and he'd been muttering about seeing Ichigo, 'I see,'

'Sit down,' Orihime gestured to the crumpled blanket with a large grin, 'I've even brought food,'

'Don't worry!' the black haired teenager cast around for an excuse not to eat her friend's food, 'I've got my own!'

Glad that she was still carrying her bag, Tatsuki produced her food box and held it up for Orihime to see.

However, the auburn haired girl was staring hard at something over her shoulder, and, just as Tatsuki was about to turn, Orihime screamed, 'Butterflies!' and took off at a run.

Jumping up, concerned for both her friend's safety and sanity, Tatsuki raced after Orihime. As she neared her, the girl tripped over a tree root and went crashing through some bushes, coincidentally sending butterflies fluttering everywhere, and then there was a pause.

'Inoue?'

Tatsuki twitched when she heard the voice. Marching around the bushes, and then hauling Orihime out, she turned to face the startled forms of the entire Kurosaki family, and Rukia.

'Hey,' waving casually at them, and ignoring the state that Orihime was in, Tatsuki turned to go again. However, when she reached the spot where her friend's picnic had been laid out, she paused.

'Orihime,' the girl looked up from trying to pull leaves and sticks out of her hair and, once she had her attention, Tatsuki continued, 'Someone's stolen your picnic,'

'Ahh!' at Inoue's loud scream, Rukia and Ichigo leapt up and raced over.

'What happened?' Rukia grabbed Orihime's shoulders and shook her.

'Some unlucky person stole the picnic Orihime had created,' Tatsuki hid her smirk, 'I bet they're going to regret that decision forever,'

'Come on,' Orihime found herself being led by the indigo eyed shinigami, 'I'm sure Yuzu'll have enough food for you two. She's made enough to feed an army,' she frowned, 'Or something like that,'

'Is that okay?' Tatsuki directed the question at Ichigo, since the other two had already moved away.

'Sure,' the orange haired teenager glanced at her, 'Rukia's right about the food,'

Sighing, Tatsuki followed her long-time friend back to his family's picnic.

* * *

><p>Toshiro paused. He'd been wandering around the whole town aimlessly, thinking things over in his head, but he still couldn't work anything out, despite the fact that it was now well into the afternoon. He'd decided some time ago to return to the place where he could see the sun, although he didn't think Kanashimi would be there, because sometimes it helped to clear his thoughts.<p>

Having had enough of walking, Toshiro took off at a run, testing the limits of the gigai while trying to remain unseen by humans, and realised that he should just go there now. So what if the sun wasn't setting yet, it was still a nice place. Thoughts drifting, he hardly realised when he arrived at the hill.

'Kanashimi?' Toshiro almost fell over when he saw the distinct figure of the Third Division captain in the exact same place as the day before. It really was like déjà vu.

'Are you going to ask questions?' as he sat down, she spoke.

'Well, yes, sorry,' Toshiro was uncomfortable again, 'How can you remember your life as a human?'

'I don't know,' she didn't sound concerned, on the contrary, she seemed quite relaxed and peaceful, 'It's not the only mystery that I can't solve,'

'What do you mean?' the white haired captain gazed out, voice distant as if he was hardly even listening.

'My zanpakuto,' violet eyes darkened, 'This is the second time it has been materialised,'

'How?' Toshiro drew his attention back to the conversation, confused.

'I materialised it once already, before I became a shinigami,' Yuki's eyes closed and her hand tightened on the hilt, when she spoke, there was a slight hint of pain in her voice, 'When I was a human,'

Turquoise eyes flashed to her face, wide with shock, 'Is that even possible? A human can't have a zanpakuto,'

_Unless they're like Kurosaki, but I have a feeling that's not what she means_, he thought privately.

Yuki's eyes widened suddenly when she realised what she'd just said. How come she kept revealing her tightly hidden secrets? Why didn't her mind immediately close when in the company of this captain? She couldn't work it out, but she knew that saying anything more would be dangerous.

Standing, she turned to leave when she felt a hand grasp her wrist.

'What are you trying to hide?' Toshiro's tone was almost as intense as his gaze, 'You should tell someone about your past,'

'No,' Yuki shook her head, the longer strands falling over her troubled lavender eyes, 'The past should be left to fade,'

* * *

><p>Author's Note:<p>

Holidays are just so taxing, no wonder none of them are really enjoying the whole event . . .  
>Except maybe Orihime . . .<p> 


	21. Chapter 21: Shopping and Matsumoto

_Chapter 21: Shopping + Matsumoto_

Yuki stood before the modern block of apartments once again, silently cursing herself. How had she let her guard down enough to say those things? She'd done it twice now. The whole occurrence was made even more peculiar as she'd never revealed anything like that to anyone, no matter how long she knew them for. Although she hadn't really _known _anyone. Not since she became a shinigami.

_Why? _Her thoughts were a swirling mass of confusion, _It can't break now. Not just yet. I . . . should be able to release it soon. Just . . . a while longer. Please hold on for just a while longer._

* * *

><p>'Rawr!' Matsumoto jumped from under the table, acting like some sort of large, furry animal, in an attempt to startle her captain. She stood up frowning when he didn't even blink slightly, and stayed where he was, sitting on a chair and staring out the window.<p>

'What's the matter, Captain?' Rangiku leaned forwards, pale blue eyes searching for any sign that the white haired shinigami was even aware of her presence, let alone listening, 'Are you feeling okay?'

Toshiro finally registered his Lieutenant's arrival, although it seemed like she'd been there for a while, and turned to face her, 'What?'

Matsumoto wasn't sure whether to be happy he was finally listening, or annoyed, 'What's your problem?'

'Nothing,' he replied with a sigh, straightening and standing up.

'That's what you said yesterday and you look even more troubled today,' the woman was whining, 'You _can _tell me,'

'Are you going shopping _again _today?' this time Matsumoto realised the obvious change of subject, but she let it drop.

'That's right,' she forced a smile, 'Don't get hurt while I'm gone,'

'Just go,' pushing her out the door, and then exiting himself once she was out of sight, Toshiro sighed deeply.

_Kanashimi Yuki_, his thoughts were troubled, _What _are _you trying to hide?_

* * *

><p>Just as Yuki was about to walk away from the apartment block, she sensed a now familiar presence behind her, turning, her violet eyes fell on one short shinigami captain.<p>

'Hitsugaya?' she didn't exactly know how he'd located her. Her reiatsu output was generally kept low, and it should have been shrouded pretty well by the other reasonable spiritual pressure around the town.

'Kanashimi,' he nodded, teal eyes scanning the apartments, 'What are you doing here?'

'Nothing,' her response, said in such a similar way to how _he _usually sounded when he was trying to avoid the real question, made him sure that she was hiding something, 'And I could ask the same of you,'

'Well-,' Toshiro was about to reply when he sensed someone coming up behind him and jumped aside.

Matsumoto flew past, her armful of shopping bags scattering over the ground, 'Oh Captain! Look what you've done!'

'Me?' the twitch above his eye was quickening.

Ignoring the white haired shinigami for now, Rangiku turned to the startled Kanashimi, 'Captain Kanashimi,' there was a clearly suspicious note in her voice, 'Come with me,'

Toshiro was surprised when the captain didn't try to resist this time and let herself be dragged away. Knowing how impossible his Lieutenant could be, he hurried after the pair.

* * *

><p>'This is brilliant!' Rangiku laughed as she hurried into another store. Toshiro and Yuki had become her bag holders, after neither had shown any interest in doing shopping of their own <em>or <em>leaving, so the two of them trailed after her silently.

As the Lieutenant went into a changing room, Toshiro glanced at Yuki, noting her calm expression. She had shown a couple of times that she knew shortcuts or detours that they should take, which made him almost certain that she was telling the truth about living here before. Still, he would've thought that, in the time since she'd died as a human, the town would've changed a bit. But it wasn't like he could just turn around and ask her, 'Hey, when did you die?'

Or, actually, he could, but he wasn't going to.

'Oh!' a loud exclamation had both captains turning. They watched as Inoue Orihime walked into the shop, a huge smile on her face and a sweet bun in one hand.

'Inoue,' Toshiro nodded at her and then gestured with his one free hand to the changing room, 'Matsumoto's in there,'

'I see,' drifting towards them, Orihime studied both almost completely blank faces. Captain Hitsugaya was frowning slightly, as usual, and Kanashimi's expression was almost unnoticeably tense. The teenager found it was a very uncomfortable situation that she'd just walked into, and she was glad when Matsumoto burst out.

'Orihime!' the woman was wearing a new outfit that was, in the opinions of the two captains, very revealing, 'What do you think?'

'You look lovely, Rangiku!' the girl smiled back and then took a bite from her bun, 'By the way, you should try the new bakery that's just opened! It's amazing,'

'I'll just buy this,' as Rangiku hurried away, Toshiro noted the mildly horrified look Kanashimi was wearing as she processed his Lieutenant's words.

Turning to the white haired captain, Yuki asked, shock and curiosity colouring her tone, 'When does she actually wear any of these clothes?'

'I haven't got a clue,' sighing in annoyance, Toshiro tried to stay calm, 'And I don't really want to know either,'

As he was closing his eyes in an attempt to maintain his sanity, Toshiro thought he saw a flicker of amusement pass through Kanashimi's eyes.

* * *

><p>'This is delicious! You were so right Orihime!' Rangiku licked her fingers, making sure she'd consumed every crumb of the sweet cake. Orihime herself had eaten more and the sight of her talking about whether or not she'd be able to have another one made Toshiro feel sick.<p>

Neither he nor Kanashimi had shown any remote interest in trying one of the cakes but the other two hadn't seemed bothered. As the enthusiastic duo began walking along the street again, Toshiro hefted the bags in his arms and began to move.

Pausing suddenly, he turned to Kanashimi as said, 'What's your favourite food?'

'Rice,' the answer was deadpan and her expression matched it perfectly.

'Huh?' Toshiro found himself blinking in surprise, his usual calm completely gone, 'Rice?'

Kanashimi nodded and then turned, continuing after Matsumoto and Inoue, 'But I don't like egg,' her eyes flashed dangerously, 'Not at all,'

'Right,' still surprised, although whether it was because of her initial answer or the fact that she'd actually given an additional piece of information, Toshiro hurried after her.

* * *

><p>'What a good day that was!' Matsumoto sighed in contentment, a smile on her face as she walked out of the last store, 'I'm glad we shopped together everyone,'<p>

'You were the one who did the shopping,' Toshiro retorted from behind the tower of bags that he was balancing.

'Calm down you two!' Orihime stood between them and tried to calm the pair down, 'We're almost home,'

'Fine,' Toshiro thought he was about to go insane. Urahara was _evil_ for even suggesting they stay for a _holiday_.

'Look!' Orihime forced cheer into her tone, silently hoping that everyone was going to be okay, the level of tension in the air was almost tangible, 'We're back!'

Unlocking her apartment door, the teenager ushered the three shinigami inside, ignoring Kanashimi's surprised stare.

Toshiro dumped all of the bags on Matsumoto as soon as she sat down and then walked into the room where they slept, setting out his bedding immediately. He was _not _in a good mood at the moment.

Yuki hesitated before setting down the bags she was carrying, and then leaning against the closed door. Her eyes scanned the apartment, noticing everything and noting it carefully.

'Captain! Dinner's ready,' Rangiku freed herself from the pile and then moved over to stand in the doorway, staring at her already sleeping captain, 'Wake up!'

When he didn't respond, the Lieutenant reached down and dragged him out of the room, dumping the captain unceremoniously into one of the chairs around the table, muttering things about his sleeping habits. Yuki appeared by Rangiku's side and her hand shot out, pulling aside the dish of takeaway seconds before Toshiro's head hit the table. Matsumoto was surprised, but when she saw the disapproving look the captain was giving her, she immediately felt nervous.

'Sorry, I overstepped my authority,' she mumbled, backing away a bit and taking her own seat.

'You did indeed,' the cool in Yuki's voice was unbearable, 'Matsumoto,'

The woman suddenly felt an icy cold seeping through her body. It was incredibly uncomfortable, bordering on painful, but she couldn't pull her gaze from the captivating deep violet pools.

'Be careful,' Yuki suddenly looked away and began to move towards the door.

Orihime appeared at that moment and rushed, with surprising speed, in front of the captain, 'Wait!'

'What?' the black haired shinigami wasn't sure what she should expect from the girl.

'Stay and eat with us,' Orihime's tone left no room for discussion, 'I have extra takeaway,'

Without waiting for an answer, the teenager pulled Kanashimi to the table and sat her down, glancing at Toshiro who was just waking up, she added, 'Oh, and since _you _don't have a place to sleep, stay here as well,'

Yuki could tell that Inoue wasn't going to tolerate any objections and she was debating on whether or not she should just use a kido and then escape.

'Come on, stay,' Matsumoto was back to her usual self, 'I'll try hard not to bother you,'

'That's right,' Orihime smiled hugely, 'We'll all try our best!'

'Matsumoto,' Toshiro, who had just worked out what was going on, glared at his Lieutenant, 'What did you do to me?'

As the pair began arguing, Yuki sighed deeply and sat down at the table, earning herself a satisfied smile from Orihime.

'Let's eat everyone!' picking up her chopsticks, Orihime once again made her words prominent by speaking in a loud and important tone. Unfortunately for everyone else, Tatsuki wasn't here this time to calm the girl down.

* * *

><p>Author's Note:<p>

I'm thinking that a few of these don't have much relevance to the story line, but there's small pieces of 'important' information in each one . . .


	22. Chapter 22: Rice

_Chapter 22: __Rice_

Lavender eyes flashed open and Yuki sat bolt upright, realising that she was lying on the couch in Inoue's apartment, and blinked. Memories of the previous day came back to her in a flash and she stood, walking over to the window and glancing out.

It was very early in the morning, and she could hear the even breathing of Matsumoto, nearby. Further away, Orihime mumbled something which sounded very much like 'when rabbits are around she just can't contain herself, you know what I mean', and then there was a rustling of sheets. Assuming that those two were still asleep, Yuki sighed.  
>Standing there, eyes searching the sky absently, the captain let her thoughts drift.<p>

'_Come on Yuki, come and meet Shizuka and Mimi,' a kind voice called out to her, 'They're here to play with you,'_

'_But Mother,' she spoke innocently, 'Teacher was telling me about the Edo Period,' she pointed to a place on the couch beside her._

'_There's no one there Yuki,' the tone was slightly concerned now, 'Come on, they're waiting for you,' warm hand reached out and picked her up._

'_I'm sorry Teacher,' even as she was carried away, Yuki tried to bow politely, 'I'll be back later,'_

'_Yuki,' now the tone was worried and slightly angry, 'Stop it!'  
><em>

The scene changed and was replaced with another.

'_Yuki! I'm home!' a man's voice called out as the door opened._

'_Father!' the young girl ran forwards, stopping before the man and bowing, 'Welcome home,'_

'_You're very formal today, Yuki,' he knelt before her, 'Is something wrong?'_

'_No, I'm just happy that Mother and Father are living now,' violet eyes were sad, 'Many bad things have happened,'_

'_What do you mean?' the tone was worried, 'Are you alright?'_

'_I'm okay, but many people died in the past,' Yuki shook her head, some longer strands of her fringe brushing her nose, 'Teacher said so,'_

'_Teacher?' _

'_That's right,' smiling suddenly, the girl ran over to the table, 'Father, this lady was a doctor,'_

'_Yuki,' seriousness and concern clouded his voice, 'There's no one there,'_

'_Father! Don't say that,' turning around, Yuki bowed at the chair, 'I'm sorry,'_

'_Yuki-,' pain and anger touched a usually calm voice.  
><em>

'Kanashimi?' Toshiro stood before the captain, close enough to feel the fluctuations in her reiatsu, and see the darkness in her eyes, 'Are you alright?'

Yuki flinched violently, jumping backwards as she tried to focus her eyes, 'F-fine,'

The white haired captain didn't believe her at all, but he decided not to push the matter, instead he continued with a different piece of information, 'Matsumoto and Inoue are going to meet with Kurosaki today. Considering this is the final day in our _holiday_, they wanted to do something which they call fun,'

'Okay,' clearing her mind and stabilising her reiatsu, the other captain nodded, 'When do we return to the Soul Society?'

'This afternoon,' Toshiro nodded as he opened the apartment door and stepped out, glancing back at her, he added, 'Are you coming?'

As she followed him, Kanashimi suddenly blinked, 'Where?'

'Matsumoto gave me this list,' he held up a piece of paper, 'Of things you're supposed to do before we return,'

'Oh?' whatever she'd been expecting, that wasn't it, 'Really?'

'That's right,' with a sigh of long suffering, Toshiro turned and started walking off, 'Let's go then,'

'Right,' not sure where exactly they were going, but willing to do almost _anything _as long as her mind was kept occupied, Yuki followed.

* * *

><p>Toshiro, after walking some distance through the town in an effort to find the very first thing on Matsumoto's list, realised that Kanashimi had stopped a short way back. Turning, he called out, wondering why he was even going along with Matsumoto's wishes, 'Kanashimi?'<p>

'Wait,' holding up a pale hand, Yuki separated from her gigai and leapt into the air. Without a moment's thought, Toshiro did the same, quickly instructing the mod soul now inside his gigai to take Kanashimi's somewhere safe, as she had seemingly removed the false body without one of her own.

On top of the buildings, he looked around for any sign of the captain, and was surprised to see her racing off into the distance. With a sigh, he followed, catching up just as Kanashimi seemed to have reached her destination.

'What are you doing?' he asked.

'Nothing much,' with a slight frown, Yuki used two more quick shunpo to arrive exactly where she wanted to be.

Standing atop one of the Ferris wheel carriages, the captain waited for Hitsugaya to arrive before turning to look at the sky.

'You've messed up the order,' Toshiro commented dryly as they began to move upwards.

'Really?' she was hardly listening, knowing that the only way to completely distract herself was to get somewhere really high and look out over the landscape.

'Yes,' he wasn't concerned at all, considering that he could hardly believe they were even attempting to stick to Matsumoto's list in the first place.

'Sorry,' Yuki could hardly believe how easily words came to her, when usually she had to think hard before opening her mouth at all.

'No, it's okay,' shaking his head in mild amusement at the seemingly usually reserved captain's impulsive behaviour, Toshiro stepped off the Ferris wheel carriage and onto the frame.

Yuki gazed out over the sprawling scene of Karakura Town and she was glad that the wheel they were on was so high. A breeze blew through and she relished the cool feel on her skin. Winter was coming.

'You like high places?' the long pause was broken by Toshiro, as he studied the tiny looking people far below.

'Yes,' interestingly, her tone wasn't dark, like most of the other times he'd asked questions. Toshiro reasoned that perhaps high places didn't carry sad memories for her. After all, remembering your like as a human probably meant you remembered when you'd died, right?

_To remember how you died_, Toshiro mused darkly, _How terrible._

'You said yesterday that you liked rice,' he could hardly believe it, 'And that you disliked egg. Is there a reason?' he wasn't sure whether or not he should bring it up as she'd looked pretty _dangerous _when she'd mentioned it the day before.

'I like rice because it's simple,' she didn't look at him, 'And I hate egg because-,'

As she cut herself off, her reiatsu flared fiercely and Toshiro was surprised to see frost forming over the metal of the wheel frame.

'There's memories attached,' Kanashimi sighed and relaxed again, reining in her reiatsu.

'Oh,' Toshiro just nodded, suddenly realising that all their walking, the un-awkward silences, and short conversations had meant that it was actually afternoon, 'We have to go,'

'That's right,' with a sigh, Kanashimi jumped from the edge of the Ferris wheel frame, running through the air towards the Senkaimon site.

Biting back a small smile, Toshiro followed quickly.

* * *

><p><em>That's right<em>, Yuki thought as she arrived in the field, watching the gate open above her, _I like rice because it's simple, _as she stepped into the Senkaimon following the rest of the shinigami, her eyes flicked shut, _Simple and _not . . . _egg._

* * *

><p>Author's Note:<p>

So now everyone's returning to the Soul Society . . .


	23. Chapter 23: Lieutenants Proficiency Test

_Chapter 23: Lieutenants Proficiency Test_

'Thank you,' Yamamoto nodded as he dismissed the meeting, 'I hope you'll all be understanding,'

'Excuse me,' as everyone left, Toshiro paused at the door, 'There's nothing I can do?'

'Definitely not,' the old captain turned away.

Toshiro was fuming. He couldn't believe it. Not one bit.

_How can he? I bet the Head Captain knows we've done nothing for a week, but still,_ the white haired captain thought angrily as he used shunpo to retreat from the First Division Assembly Hall, _It's the day after we get back, and he says all captains are supposed to take a _holiday_! Why?_ arriving at the Tenth Division, he stopped outside, _Because of the Lieutenants Proficiency Test, that's why._

'Captain?' feeling an unusually cold wind whipping up outside the office, Matsumoto wandered out, already missing the comfort of shopping, the warmth of Orihime's house, and the delicious food they made together.

'You'll be leading the Division alone for one week,' Toshiro's voice was tight, 'And before you ask, it's the Lieutenants Proficiency Test and every Lieutenant has to do it,'

'Really?' Rangiku was surprised and she suddenly realised why the young captain was so angry, 'You were looking forward to getting back to your paperwork, weren't you? My, my, Captain,' she leant against the door frame, 'You really _hate _holidays, don't you,'

'If I leave, I'll come back and this whole place will either be in ruins, or turned into one, big, drunken party,' the twitch above his eye was getting unbearable, 'Matsumoto,' the warning that flashed through the teal was unmistakable, 'Do all the paperwork properly, or else,'

'Right,' she nodded quickly and vowed to actually do her best, 'I'll remember that, Captain,'

'Good,' Toshiro didn't trust his Lieutenant at all, but he was too stressed out to argue with _anyone_, let alone her.

'So what are you going to do?' Matsumoto asked as the young captain slumped into one of the couches, 'I mean, I'd love to have more free time,'

'You only just got back last night!' the shout echoed through the Tenth Division, 'I can't believe you!'

'Sorry, Captain!' squeaking and hugging herself against the cold air blowing around the white haired shinigami, Matsumoto decided to stay _low_ until he'd left.

* * *

><p>'The Lieutenants Proficiency Test?' Izuru sounded nervous, 'This week?'<p>

'That's right,' Yuki was feeling rather sorry for the Lieutenant, 'But you'll be fine. After all, you led the Division on your own after Ichimaru's betrayal,'

'That's true, but-,' the blonde man found himself being cut off by his captain.

'Kira,' lavender eyes locked onto blue ones, 'Have a little more faith in yourself,'

'Sorry,' sitting down meekly at his desk, the Lieutenant hurriedly took out some papers and began filling them out. Yuki could clearly see that quite a few of the characters were wonky as he was shaking slightly.

Remembering the meeting earlier in the day, and the surprised looks on most of the captains' faces, she sighed. Then the quickest flicker of amusement passed across her face as she recalled seeing Hitsugaya's fury filled eyes. The white haired captain seemed to like doing things, and doing them properly.

Walking into one of the rooms nearby, Yuki scanned her eyes across some of the papers her Division members were writing.

Tapping her hand on one shinigami's desk suddenly, she met his startled gaze, 'Do it again,'

'Huh?' the man was incredibly surprised as he'd never been told to _re-do _a report before, 'What?'

'Do. It. Again,' the quiet stress on each word made everyone in the room cringe slightly.

'Yes sir!' shaking in terror, the shinigami discarded the half written paper and got out a new blank one, 'Sorry sir!'

Satisfied, Yuki continued on, noting that a few of the others quickly hid their reports and started new ones too, 'You all know about the Proficiency Test?'

'Lieutenant Kira will be leading the Division again, won't he?' Haruko looked over, shoving one of the shinigami beside her – who'd been sleeping – as she spoke.

'That's right,' the captain nodded, eyes scanning the faces of the shinigami, 'Don't give him a hard time,'

'Right!' no one wanted to know what might happen if word got around that they'd been hard on Kira.

'Good,' pausing one last time at the door, Yuki met the eyes of the shinigami who'd done the untidy report. He quivered and his eyes went glassy. Just in case he fell unconscious and ruined _another _document, the captain turned and walked away.

* * *

><p>'Go away! Shoo,' Matsumoto was doing her best to get rid of the white haired captain, but so far he'd sat resolutely on the couch and not moved an inch, 'Captain!'<p>

As he still showed no sign of response, Rangiku tried to reason with him instead of just shout, 'All of the other captains have to leave their Divisions too. The Lieutenants have to complete this test alone,' she snapped her fingers loudly in front of his face, 'Without any assistance!'

'I know what alone means in this context!' Toshiro jumped up and yelled at her, having been silently trying to curb his annoyance for the last couple of hours. Matsumoto's untimely interruption had made him lose focus and now he was as cross as ever.

'Then why are you still here?' Rangiku had jumped backwards in surprise when the young shinigami had responded, but now she leaned forwards and began shouting again, pausing suddenly she straightened, put her hands on her hips, and spoke mockingly, 'Don't tell me you have nowhere to go,'

'I have places to go, but that doesn't mean I want to go to them!' Toshiro pushed past her and paused at the doorway, waiting for her final remark.

'Go to Junrinan, I know you love it there,' she was calm now, and she spoke in an understanding way, 'Don't worry Captain, I'll keep everything under control here,'

'You'd better, Matsumoto,' now completely calm, Toshiro walked out of the Tenth Division and began wandered towards the West Gate.

* * *

><p>Yuki was at a loss of what to do. She'd been unable to do any real work in the World of the Living, and now she wasn't even allowed to fill out a form for <em>a week<em>. So she was walking around aimlessly, ignoring the many people that turned to stare at her, noting that not a single one approached.

_It shouldn't bother you, _she thought in mild amusement, _It's not like it's any different to before._

As she turned a corner, the captain felt an oddly cold breeze blowing fiercely down the path. It _was _almost winter, but still, she could tell that it was reiatsu.

'Hitsugaya,' greeting the white haired captain as he practically _stormed _past her, Yuki couldn't help but be slightly amused once again. Obviously she wasn't the only one not looking forward to another holiday.

Toshiro suddenly stopped, a few metres after he'd passed the other captain, registering her presence as well as her greeting. Turning, he blinked in surprise.

'Ah, Kanashimi,' he sounded tired and felt about the same, 'Are you having. A. _Nice_. _**Day**_?' in the end he could only just stop himself from breaking something.

'Not at all,' her tone was lighter than he'd expected, considering her dark reiatsu and the sadness she carried around with her, 'And you?'

He put his head in his hands, slumping against a nearby wall and barely stopping himself from sliding down it and sitting in a heap on the ground, 'No,'

Yuki moved to lean against the wall opposite, 'How's Matsumoto?'

Toshiro was focused on being stressed, but he was also aware of his surroundings. Consequently, he noticed that Kanashimi was actually talking to him more than was absolutely necessary.

Surprised so much that he forgot about his anger, the white haired captain glanced upwards, 'She's fine,' rubbing his face, he added, 'Although I'm concerned about the state I might find the Division in when I return,'

'I see,' straightening, Yuki turned to continue on with her aimless, purposely time wasting, walk.

'Kanashimi,' Toshiro paused, 'You like the sunset,' the questioning look in her eyes would've had Matsumoto hugging the life out of her, 'Do you know Junrinan?'

Yuki nodded, eyes almost black all of a sudden, 'Yes,'

Frowning slightly as he noticed the change, Toshiro added, 'There's a good spot to see the sunset there,'

'Oh?' the other captain stared in surprise, quite unsure of what was actually going on.

The white haired shinigami sighed deeply, 'Come on,' then he turned and walked off.

* * *

><p>'Did you live in Junrinan?' Toshiro sat at the edge of the cliff which overlooked the lush green landscape of the Rukongai's First District. It was only afternoon, so he'd have to wait a while before he could see the sunset.<p>

'Briefly,' the reply was short as the Third Division captain's attention was captivated entirely by the sharp drop a short distance in front of them. She really did love heights.

Toshiro just nodded, content to watch the day drift by without much effort or intervention on his part. He'd decided that he should visit his grandmother, after all he had the time, but he was worried about making _her _worry.

'Hyorinmaru is the strongest ice and snow type zanpakuto in the Soul Society, right?' Yuki's eyes flicked to the blue wrapped hilt of Hitsugaya's katana.

'That's right,' Toshiro realised that he didn't have a clue about what her zanpakuto could do, or even its name. After all, it hadn't been included in the report that all the captains received about Kanashimi.

Sensing some curiosity from the other captain, Yuki removed the sheath from her waist and rested the blade on her crossed legs. It was a deep black, but there was a faded, almost invisible silver bird at the very end of its length, thin tail feathers curling upwards.

'Kuro-kyō Shinu Meikin,' her voice was cool as her fingers trailed over the hilt wrapping, a darker shade of colour to the sheath.

_Black Mirror, Dying Songbird_, Toshiro's thoughts gradually focused again.

Yuki looked away slightly as she spoke again, 'You'd hate me,'

'Huh?' the white haired captain jerked upwards in surprise, 'What?'

There was a short silence, then Kanashimi said, 'Don't you hate Aizen Sosuke?'

'Yes,' the fury in Toshiro's voice was barely controlled, then he blinked, confused by the sudden subject change, 'Why do you ask?'

'Kyoka Suigetsu's release command was _shatter_,' the captain's hand clenched on the black hilt of her zanpakuto, 'Kuro-kyō Shinu Meikin's release is triggered by the same word,'

_Oh, _Toshiro thought, strangely amused, _I see._

'Don't worry, Aizen was just one bastard who liked playing with peoples' minds,' his tone was casual, and if it were anyone else, they'd have been smiling agreeably too.

'My zanpakuto,' there was a hint of the former sadness in her voice, 'Is a bit like his,'

'It doesn't matter,' Toshiro realised that she really wasn't adept with 'people skills' and so he tried to make her put those kinds of fears aside, 'Aizen was an enemy. You're an ally, one of the captains of the Gotei 13. So what if he was once a captain too, it doesn't change much really. Izuru seems to trust you, so that's something. You're a friend, after all,'

He wasn't sure he was making much sense, but he was too tired and wound up from the day's events to care.

'Right,' Yuki's violet eyes darkened slightly as she re-secured her katana to her waist.

* * *

><p>Author's Note:<p>

Matsumto, Kira - do your best! Poor Toshiro, he must be having a lot of bad times recently


	24. Chapter 24: Fears, Memories, Pain

_Chapter 24: My Fears, My Memories, My Pain_

_The second last day of the Lieutenants Proficiency Test comes around at last_, Toshiro sighed as he sat on the roof of the Tenth Division offices, _I can hardly believe the week is passing so slowly._

He'd been busy, visiting his Granny, helping Ukitake out with a few things, keeping an eye on Matsumoto, but he felt that he hadn't done anything _really _productive. Interestingly enough, since the day he'd gotten back to the Soul Society, he hadn't seen Kanashimi around at all, although he'd heard Kira muttering about her once.

It was still dark, so he decided to hurry to the cliffs in Junrinan to catch the sunrise. As he rushed through the Seireitei, he wondered briefly how the Head Captain had actually been planning to assess the Lieutenants, seeing as all of the captain weren't supposed to be around their Divisions. Then again, perhaps it was really just a general 'if no one gets killed by a careless mistake on the Lieutenant's part, then it's all okay' sort of thing, and it wouldn't count if Matsumoto got everyone drunk.

Still, when he'd spotted her around, she had seemed like she was doing work. Whether or not she was faking it, he didn't know.

* * *

><p>'Kanashimi!' the white haired captain jumped when he saw the figure of the Third Division captain, still slightly shrouded in the early morning dark, sitting at the very edge of the cliff. She looked quite precarious, as if one breath would send her flying off the edge.<p>

'Hitsugaya,' she didn't sound surprised so he assumed she'd sensed his approach, 'Are you here for the sunrise?'

'That's right,' walking forwards, Toshiro suddenly realised that there was a heavy, stifling feeling of fear in the air. Sitting down, further back from the cliff edge than the other captain, and glanced at her, debating whether or not to ask.

Finally he gave up and turned to face her fully, 'What are you afraid of?'

Yuki flinched at his direct tone, violet eyes meeting turquoise ones, 'Can I trust you, Hitsugaya?'

'What? Er,' he now found himself out of _his _social comfort zone, 'Yes?'

The Third Division captain studied his face a while longer, very carefully, and then sighed, 'You don't want to know,'

Toshiro twitched in annoyance, surprising himself, 'And why would that be? I thought you were supposed to share fears and the like,' remembering their earlier conversations, he added, 'And memories,'

'You'll regret asking,' she seemed unsure of what to do.

The white haired captain kind of forgot that he was talking to someone he'd only known for a relatively short time, and snapped, 'You'll regret not _telling _me,'

'If that's the case then,' violet eyes filled with pain, surprising Toshiro, 'Dying. I'm afraid of dying,'

* * *

><p>'Dying?' Toshiro hadn't been sure what to expect, and that certainly hadn't been on the top of his mental list, 'What do you mean? Aren't we already de-,'<p>

Instantly he felt his whole body freeze, the words dying on his tongue, as black kido whipped around him. Layers of binding spells and seals.

Yuki's eyes were wide, the strength she'd held onto to actually tell someone about her only true fear, gone completely. Her pale hands worked rapidly, unique kido after kido flying towards the Tenth Division captain.

'Kanashimi!' Toshiro's voice was muffled slightly by the black rope tightening around his neck, 'Stop it!'

And then it was all gone, and silence descended.

'Are you alright?' rubbing his neck, the white haired captain glanced at Kanashimi in a concerned manner, 'Sorry about that,'

'No, don't be,' one hand covered her face, violet eyes barely visible between her fingers, 'It's my fault,'

'So you're afraid of dying,' he spoke carefully, worried about the other captain, 'Why?'

'You'll regret asking that,' Yuki repeated her earlier statement, lowering her hand. Toshiro suddenly realised that her fringe actually fell to halfway over her eyes. He wondered, going off on a tangent, if she left it like that in order to help hide her emotions.

Snapping back to reality, the white haired captain sighed, 'Why?'

* * *

><p>Yuki was hesitating. She knew she shouldn't tell anyone about herself. She knew the barrier she'd placed around her memories was breaking. But she wasn't ready to face that pain, not yet. And no one would want to even glimpse the depths of her despair, the power of her sorrow, or the weight of her pain.<p>

The past was the past and it should be left as such.

But this shinigami captain, Hitsugaya Toshiro, asked her what she was afraid of. And, once he knew, he asked her to tell him about her fear.

She feared dying over anything else. It was her one true fear.

But she couldn't just say why. There were too many things that happened prior to that that would need to be explained first.

And once she began explaining, so many questions would be asked.

No, there was only one way to explain to Hitsugaya about her fear.

Only one way.

* * *

><p>Looking up, Kanashimi caught Toshiro's gaze. Her eyes were dark but the hesitation was gone.<p>

'Do you really want to know why I fear death, even when I have already lost my human life?' her tone was wintry but not distant. The intenseness of her gaze and the regret in her voice was powerful.

'Yes,' Toshiro knew that there was only one way to begin to slightly understand the Third Division's captain, 'I want to know,'

And he _did _wish to understand. Even if he was the only person in the Soul Society to have the slightest inkling into Kanashimi's mind, then it would be something. He felt her lingering concern, and wondered if her thoughts were really so terrible.

To fear death, when you have already died. To know how you died, though, he thought that that could be a very terrible thing. Maybe terrible enough to create such a strong fear as the one he sensed in Kanshimi.

'Although these are things no one should see,' Yuki spoke solemnly, 'There is one way for you to understand my fear,'

'How?' Toshiro got the feeling that she wasn't just going to _tell _him.

A pale hand reached out and touched his forehead, 'I will _show _you,' lavender eyes flashed with a kido light as she spoke once more, 'Omoide,'

Instantly Toshiro found himself inside an expensively furnished apartment, high inside a modern building. Turning slightly, he saw Kanashimi standing up, walking to a point behind him. He tried to rise, but found that he was almost stuck to the floor.

'What is this?' he asked, still trying to get up but failing, 'How is this happening?'

Kanashimi's voice was hard, 'These are my memories being projected into your mind,'

* * *

><p>'<em>Yuki!' <em>

* * *

><p>Toshiro blinked when he heard a woman's voice calling out from somewhere else in the apartment. He assumed that he couldn't move since he was being placed inside someone else's memories.<p>

* * *

><p>'<em>Coming Mother,' a young girl, perhaps three years old, ran by. Her black hair was short, brushing her shoulders, and her lavender eyes were large. Such a delicate looking child.<em>

_A woman walked into the room, smiling kindly. She hardly resembled her daughter, with her soft chestnut coloured hair and warm brown eyes._

'_Yuki, where have you been?' she knelt before the girl, touching her shoulders gently._

'_Talking to Kenji-sama and everyone,' Yuki spoke happily, 'They're all such nice people,'_

'_Kenji?' worry clouded the woman's tone, 'One of your imaginary friends?'_

'_No, Kenji-sama got into a car accident,' the seriousness of the young girl's tone was surprising, 'Road safety is very important,'_

'_Not ghosts again,' not the woman sounded pained, 'Yuki, they don't exist,'_

* * *

><p>Toshiro could see the spirits in that one room and it surprised him that there were at least eight. All of them were smiling and they looked happy. When one of the glanced at Yuki, there wasn't any hatred or jealousy, they looked proud.<br>He blinked as the scene folded into another one.

* * *

><p>'<em>Good evening Yuki!' this time a man walked into the room, carrying a case as if he were a businessman, 'How are you? Did you have a nice day?'<em>

_Yuki slid off the couch and approached her father, smiling, she spoke, 'Shizuka-sama visited today. She's a really nice lady,'_

_The man's dark blue eyes widened as his daughter immediately began speaking about the ghosts again, 'Yuki, you should be thinking about yourself, soon you'll be four years old,'_

'_Shizuka-sama told me about herself and then she taught me how to do origami,' holding up a crane, Yuki smiled, looking like a perfect doll._

'_Yuki,' taking the girl's hand, the black haired man led her over to the door, 'Your mother asked these three children to come over and play with you. You should greet them,'_

'_But Father!' lavender eyes widened in protest, 'Shizuka-sama said she wouldn't be here much longer as she's almost ready to pass on! I wanted to stay with her!'_

_The door opened suddenly and Yuki's mother led three children into the room. Two girls and a boy, all of whom stared curiously at the pale child before them._

'_It's nice to meet you Yuki,' they spoke almost in unison._

_Defiance settled on the girl's young face and she turned around and ran off._

'_Yuki!' the woman sounded stressed and the glance she gave her husband was full of pain._

* * *

><p>The white haired captain waited, silent, as the room rippled and settled into another scene.<p>

* * *

><p>'<em>You're four today,' the false cheer in the woman's voice was harsh, 'Are you excited Yuki?'<em>

'_Where's Father?' the girl's hands clenched, 'Where is he?'_

'_He can't come. I'm sorry,' the woman touched her daughter's head lightly 'Of course he wants to be here,' she spoke again, 'He loves you,'_

'_He hates me,' the reply wasn't said in an angry manner, instead, it was stated calmly._

_Stated as if it were a fact._

'_Yuki!' the exclamation was loud and the woman raised a hand as if she were going to hit her child, but she lowered it again, 'Have your ghosts been telling you this, Yuki?' tone slightly taunting, the woman moved towards the door, 'Have they been talking to you?'_

'_No spirits are in this house now. They have all passed on,' sadness tinged her young voice._

'_Yuki,' the woman's voice was dead and her knuckles, clenched around the door handle, were white, 'I hate you. I hate you so much. You've ruined my life, and you've ruined your father's. We can't stand you, do you hear me? We hate you, Yuki,' her brown eyes were furious, 'I wish you'd never been born! You care about those ghosts more that you care about your own family! You ignore reality! People look down upon us because of you. Your unnatural mental development, the way you talk as if you know it all! Your father worked so hard to get to the position he has now in the company, but people continually scorn him because of _you_!' flinging open the door with so much force that paint flew from the wall on impact, the woman stepped outside, 'We have no regrets, Yuki. __**Just die already**__,'_

* * *

><p>Toshiro was in a state of frozen shock. He didn't know what to think, how to react.<p>

_Did that really happen? Was that one of Kanashimi's memories?_

Once again the scene changed and now the captain found himself outside. Looking about, his eyes widened when he realised he was standing in a cemetery.

* * *

><p>'<em>Yuki,' an elderly man approached the young girl carefully, as if she was going to attack him, 'You should say farewell to your parents. They died in a very tragic accident, you know,'<em>

'_Go away,' the tone was cold, surprising, especially for a four year old._

'_You little bitch,' a woman appeared, a relative, 'How dare you speak like that! We're going to be the ones left to care for your cursed self,'_

'_I said go away!' Yuki turned and walked off, sitting beside a gravestone silently, lavender eyes tracking some unseen soul._

_The relatives who'd attended the dual funeral gathered together, speaking softly._

'_I'm not taking her in,' one said firmly, 'I don't want that witch in my house,'_

'_Calm down,' another man spoke, 'I've got an idea,' he looked around, 'Listen up everyone. All we have to do is find her a place to live and then make sure she's fed and is able to get to school,'_

'_Right,' nodding in satisfaction, the group dispersed._

* * *

><p>Suddenly the young captain found himself in an empty white room. Looking around, he realised that this wasn't a memory, just a space.<p>

Kanashimi walked around from behind him and leant against the wall, 'It wasn't an accident. They committed suicide on my fourth birthday,' her eyes were shaded, 'Everyone told me it was an accident, but I heard them talking about how both of my parents jumped off the top of the apartment block we were living in. And I saw the bodies from the window before they were taken away, lying on the footpath,' her fists clenched, 'They couldn't cope with the fact that their child could see souls. And they passed on with no regrets,' she looked up, meeting his gaze, 'My _relatives_ bought me an apartment in Karakura Town, in the building you saw me outside of in the World of the Living. I was four years old and left to live there on my own,'

Before Toshiro could respond, she vanished and appeared behind him again, and the scene changed.

* * *

><p>'<em>Egg rolls,' Yuki glanced at the package left outside her door, 'Saki-sama, you're glad you don't need to eat anything,'<em>

'_For a five year old, you're quite mature,' a female plus soul walked over, 'If I could cook, I'd make you something decent,'_

'_That's okay,' the violet eyed girl considered the spirit as her guardian. They'd met on the day Yuki was dumped in the new apartment and formed a close bond over the year they'd known each other._

'_I'm glad, Yuki,' the way Saki said her name wasn't like the way her parents had said it. This spirit was very motherly. She'd wanted to have children when she was alive, but she'd died in an accident._

_The young girl wandered over to the table and set out the egg rolls. It was the same every week. A whole box of egg dishes delivered on a Sunday._

'_Thank you for the food,' out of habit, Yuki still said the phrase._

* * *

><p>'This is from when I was ten,' Kanashimi appeared beside Toshiro suddenly, 'It was a Hollow,'<p>

The white haired captain wasn't sure what she meant, but he guessed that he was about to find out.

* * *

><p><em>'Saki-sama?' Yuki stepped from the elevator and onto her floor. Turning, she cast her eyes over the empty hallway, wondering where the spirit was. Usually she was greeted at the apartment door by Saki, but today that space was empty.<em>

_Walking over, violet eyes widened as the girl took in the sight of the blood, splashed over the apartment door and all over the floor and nearby wall._

'_Saki-sama?' she couldn't sense the spirit woman's presence any more._

_The window was open, and the frame was cracked slightly, as well as the glass. All she could think was that someone had come through it and killed the spirit. But how could a spirit be killed?_

* * *

><p>'She was eaten by a Hollow. It was surprisingly delicate for one of their attacks, but that's what it was,' Kanashimi stood beside Toshiro, 'By that age I could look after myself but I was an introverted child. No one at school spoke to me but there were many whispered rumours,'<p>

Toshiro's thoughts were in a mess and he didn't know what to think. However, he wasn't yet regretting his decision to share the reliving of Kanashimi's memories.

* * *

><p><em>It was the coldest night recorded in decades, and most people were cursing the weather. Yuki, however, was quite happy to sit atop the apartment block she lived in and stare out over the city. It was so easy to lose yourself into the sights and sounds of a busy Karakura night.<em>

_She'd turned fifteen a few days ago, and ever since that time, she'd been having strange recurring dreams. It wasn't frightening, but it was cold and dark. _

_Still, from the harsh whiteness that usually grasped her unconscious mind as soon as she fell asleep, it was a welcome relief._

_Standing, she suddenly felt the air around her change, as if something was pressing down on top of her. Lavender eyes widening, the teenager watched as a monstrous creature began moving from building top to building top, heading her way._

_She guessed immediately that it was a spirit of some sort, but it definitely wasn't one of the friendly souls she'd encountered before._

_Yuki wasn't scared, there was hardly anything in her life to live for, if her soul was what the creature wanted, but she couldn't help but think there was a way to escape death._

_A sudden rush of cold air surrounded the girl and blackness fell densely into the white. She was surprised to see some black feathers fluttering along in the wind, but then her attention was caught by something else._

_A great faded silver bird spread its wings before her, black eyes gazing into her own, 'My name is __Kuro-kyō Shinu Meikin. You are my master,'_

_Raising her arm automatically, Yuki watched in shock as a katana formed in her hand, 'What is this?'_

_The same voice that had spoken before, but without the echo, sounded in her mind, 'I am a zanpakuto spirit. You must fight that Hollow in order to protect human souls,'_

_In her mind's eye, Yuki could see a silver haired woman with black eyes, wearing a traditional dress and carrying a feathered fan._

'_Oh,' the vision faded and the teenager was left standing on top of the apartment block holding the katana._

_Eyes burning with resolve, she leapt forwards, slicing down in once smooth movement, cleaving the Hollow in two._

* * *

><p>'So you materialised your zanpakuto then?' Toshiro blinked, 'How did you learn how to fight?'<p>

'Kuro-kyō Shinu Meikin taught me the basic techniques needed to wield her,' Kanashimi didn't look so sad recalling _that _memory, 'I went into my Inner World often to share her company,' she sighed, 'After manifesting the zanpakuto, I fought the Hollows often,'

'And you survived? Without any formal training?' Toshiro knew that being trained by a zanpakuto could give you Shikai, and then eventually Bankai, but still, all the basics were learnt by repetition and harsh instruction.

'I was still a human, and the injuries I sustained ostracised me further among society,' there was a faint smile on her face, a devastatingly sorrowful one, 'And made me a cold and indifferent person,'

* * *

><p>'<em>Are you in a Ladies gang?' a girl leant on Yuki's desk, shoving her work aside and glaring at her, 'Why are you always so beat up?'<em>

_Yuki's arm was broken and slashed, she had wounds on her neck, legs and back, but she still came to school. The students, and even the teachers, disliked her, and she was made to sit right at the back of the classroom next to the windows._

'_Why do you ask?' her voice was cold._

'_You're a freak,' another student moved over, joining in the taunting, 'You're always covered in bandages but then, when you're not, you don't even have any scars,'_

_It was true, her healing speed had been slowly increasing, and marks hardly remained on her skin for long after they'd healed any more._

'_What type of girl walks out of the classroom at least ten times a day?' _

'_Do you skip just to play video games?'_

'_You're a delinquent!'_

'_Bitch. How can you still be the top of the class?'_

'_Yeah! Why are you always either first or second?'_

'_Do you think you're a queen or something?'_

'_Are those bandages just to get attention?'_

_So many different insults, taunts and rude remarks were directed her way. No one tried to get to know her. No one cared about her. Nothing had changed._

_Yuki never tried to get to know anybody either. Her social skills were non-existent. And the only person she spoke to was the spirit of her zanpakuto._

* * *

><p>'I was eighteen when I died as a human,' Kanashimi spoke calmly, despite the pain in her eyes, 'It was an Arrancar class Hollow. I didn't stand a chance, not without any real training or knowledge of Hollows and shinigami,'<p>

'How did you die?' Toshiro had a feeling that it was the _way _she'd died that had caused her to become so frightened of death.

'I will not show that to you,' the captain shook her head, 'That's not something to force upon another person. Not at all,'

'What's going to happen now?' the white haired shinigami asked, wondering just how she'd begun sharing her memories in the first place.

'I end this kido,' her tone was still regretful and now he wondered why, looking up, Kanashimi met his gaze, 'Hitsugaya, don't let your conscious mind brush against any of the kido as it breaks,'

'Why not?' he was full of question still and her words vexed him.

'Just . . . don't,'

There was a ripple of blackness that washed through the white room, and then Toshiro felt himself falling.

* * *

><p>Author's Note:<p>

Some of Kanashimi's memories . . .

So she was killed by an Arrancar class Hollow as a human, wonder how . . .


	25. Chapter 25: Agony

_Chapter 25: Agony_

Turquoise eyes flashed open and Toshiro blinked, trying to orientate himself. It seemed that he was still on the top of the cliffs, but something was different. Looking at the sky, he realised that it was long past sunrise, and appeared to be late afternoon.

Suddenly registering a weight on his shoulder, the young captain glanced down and realised that Kanashimi was asleep, curled up beside him, with her head on his shoulder. He wondered how long they'd been there, as his muscles felt stiff and sore, and how long they'd been unconscious.

Carefully lowering the Third Division captain to the ground, Toshiro stood and stretched, wincing as his bones cracked, and then he paused.

_So they were Kanashimi's memories, _he mused thoughtfully, _She said she'd show me why she was afraid of dying, but I didn't get to see how she died, did I. Still, I have a feeling that that's the most she's ever divulged of her past._

Turning, the captain took a few steps away from the cliff edge, walking past the still sleeping Kanashimi. He'd gotten about two metres away, still trying to stretch his muscles, when something changed in the atmosphere around him.

Toshiro stopped walking, staying quite still, as he tried to work out what it was.

There was a soft sound like something breaking, and then he sensed a wave of mental energy rolling towards his mind in a crashing force of sorrow, fear and pain.

Teal eyes widened as the captain realised he must have unconsciously touched Kanashimi's kido. She hadn't explained what would happen, but now it seemed like it was for his own good.

As the torrent rushed along the last link of kido, the only one that hadn't broken yet, Toshiro froze in agony and then he fell forwards, unconscious.

* * *

><p>Author's Note:<p>

Short chapter follows a long one . . . sorry


	26. Chapter 26: Endless Tears

_Chapter 26: Endless Tears_

Someone was crying. The soft sounds reaching through the darkness and meeting Toshiro's unconscious thoughts. Something was stopping him from opening his eyes. What was it? Fighting against the blackness that bound him, the young captain pulled himself out of the depths of his own mind.

Eyes opening slowly, the first thing Toshiro noticed was the roof of his own room in the Tenth Division barracks. The next was that his Lieutenant was sitting beside his bed and weeping quietly.

'M-matsumoto?' his voice was hoarse and his throat burned.

The woman looked up, lowering her hands to reveal swollen red eyes. Brushing back her strawberry blonde hair, Rangiku blinked a few times, as if trying to work out who'd spoken.

'Matsumoto?' now Toshiro was quite concerned. He wasn't sure why she should be in such a state.

'C-captain?' her tone was disbelieving, hopeful, but disbelieving, 'Is that you?'

Toshiro twitched, 'Of course, what's you problem?'

'Thank goodness,' she sighed deeply and then burst into fresh tears, rubbing her face with a cloth, 'Thank goodness,' she repeated it like a prayer.

'Would you tell me what's going on?' he was annoyed, anxious, and confused now.

'Captain,' drying her eyes once more, Rangiku met his gaze, suddenly completely serious, 'It's been four days since the Lieutenants Proficiency Test was completed,'

'What?' Toshiro couldn't believe it, 'Wasn't it Saturday yesterday?'

'No Captain,' he could see the tears brimming in her eyes again, and he could tell how hard she was trying to keep them back, 'Saturday was six days ago. Today's Friday,'

'That's not possible,' shaking his head and suddenly realising how weak he felt, the white haired captain denied what Matsumoto was saying.

'It is,' blue eyes filled with pain, 'It_ is_ possible Captain,'

Trying to remember what had happened for the Lieutenant to be acting like this and for so much time to pass, the memory of Kanashimi and what she'd shown him slowly began to filter into his confused mind.

Toshiro suddenly froze, 'Where's Kanashimi?'

Rangiku felt her heart beating frantically. She didn't know how, but the two captains seemed to have become friends, though how good, she didn't know either.

'Captain Kanashimi,' her voice broke and she coughed, 'Is in the General Emergency Relief Station,'

'Why?' Toshiro felt his blood go cold.

'I'm so sorry Captain!' Matsumoto didn't notice the new tears streaming down her cheeks, 'You were friends, right? And I didn't even know,'

The white haired shinigami cut her off, 'What happened?' his tone was urgent.

Blue eyes were so lost and pitiful when Rangiku met her Captain's gaze, 'Captain Unohana says,' she choked back harsh sobs, 'Says that,' she didn't want to say it, but she knew she was going to have to, 'Says that she might never wake up,'

'What?' Toshiro's mind couldn't comprehend what his Lieutenant was saying.

'I'm so sorry,' Matsumoto turned away, hiding her face again.

_Captain, you made a friend, and I didn't even know, _Rangiku's thoughts were full of sadness and pity, _I think that Captain Kanashimi was someone you could talk to. I'm so sorry_.

'Captain Hitsugaya,' a new voice spoke, and Toshiro turned with an effort to watch the Head Captain walk into the room.

Yamamoto turned to Matsumoto, 'Please leave for a moment,'

'Yes sir,' the woman rose and walked out, still fighting back her tears.

'What is it?' Toshiro was only just starting to process what his Lieutenant had been saying, and his whole body was cold.

'Since you're awake now,' Unohana suddenly appeared beside him, 'The Head Captain has some questions,'

As the Fourth Division captain knelt beside Toshiro and began to use her healing kido on him, Yamamoto walked over as well, 'Captain Hitsugaya, you understand how much time has passed?'

'Yes,' Toshiro's voice was quiet but his mind was racing.

'You and Captain Kanashimi disappeared on the second last day of the Lieutenants Proficiency Test. On the evening of the last day, your reiatsu flared and we were consequently able to locate you. Both of you were unconscious at the top of a cliff in Junrinan,' the captain paused, 'What were you doing?'

'Kanashimi was showing me her memories,' the white haired captain's voice was distant.

'The last thing you can remember,' Yamamoto left it as a question, his brow creasing.

'I woke up, and it was night time,' Toshiro blinked, 'Probably on the Sunday, and then I fell unconscious again as I was walking around,'

'Thank you. That is all,' the old man turned to leave, 'Rest well, Captain Hitsugaya,'

Once they'd gone, Unohana placed a hand on Toshiro's forehead, 'The Head Captain is not removing Captain Kanashimi from her position in the Gotei 13 until she stops showing any signs of life. Lieutenant Kira is leading the Third Division for a while,'

'Right,' now, as reality set in, Toshiro spoke in a hollow tone.

Unohana smiled sadly as she left, and the woman hoped that, for everyone's sake, Kanashimi Yuki would wake up.

* * *

><p>Toshiro lay still, staring at the roof, and tried not to think about anything. If he did, he began blaming himself for Kanashimi's current condition.<p>

_If I hadn't touched that kido, _his thoughts were so dark, _Then maybe this wouldn't have happened._

'Captain,' Matsumoto walked in and knelt beside him again, 'I thought I'd tell you a bit more about Captain Kanashimi's condition,'

Toshiro didn't respond, he just silently noted that his Lieutenant seemed a bit calmer than before.

'Unohana says her body is emitting no reiatsu, and all healing kido is either rejected or negated. No one knows what to do,' Rangiku suddenly burst into tears again and she couldn't believe herself. How many tears could a person cry? After all, she'd practically been weeping constantly ever since they found her captain. He'd been lost to the world for days and she was just so glad he was awake now.

'Matsumoto,' the white haired shinigami spoke with surprising calm, 'Thank you,'

At her Captain's words, the Lieutenant lowered her hands and gazed at him in the most sorrowful, devastating way. How could he thank her? What had she done to deserve that? The way she always ignored his orders . . .

Looking up, she realised that he'd fallen asleep again and a small smile graced her drawn features. She wasn't going anywhere.

* * *

><p>Izuru sat on a chair in the Relief Station, eyes wide with still remaining shock, and hands clutching his head. He'd really liked Captain Kanashimi, she was nice, but strict, and she could make him laugh.<p>

'Lieutenant Kira,' Unohana appeared before him, a smile on her face, 'You can come with me now,'

The blonde shinigami just nodded and followed the captain towards the very edge of the Fourth Division. The area was surrounded by gardens and there were only a few small buildings around the place. He knew that this was where long term patients were kept as the environment was a lot calmer and quieter than in the main building.

'This is where Captain Kanashimi is,' the woman smiled again as she led Izuru inside the one room building, 'You can stay for a while,'

'Thank you,' walking past the captain, Izuru went over and knelt beside the bedding that was laid out on the ground. There were flowers by the window sill and a jug of fresh water on a nearby table. But the Lieutenant's attention was held by only one thing.

His captain.

Kanashimi's ink black hair was loose and splayed out from her head on the white pillow. Her lavender eyes were closed and her skin seemed even paler than usual. She was facing away from him, and her whole body seemed limp.

'C-captain,' Izuru felt like he was about to cry. When he'd heard the news that the Captains of the Tenth and Third Divisions had been found unconscious in Junrinan, the Rukongai's First District, he'd been terrified, but not sad.

He hadn't shed any tears yet, but, seeing his captain's body for the first time since she'd been found almost broke him.

Izuru didn't expect any response, and he didn't get one, but just sitting there slowly calmed him down. He noticed that his cheeks were wet and was silently embarrassed that he was crying. Wiping his face quickly, the Lieutenant bowed.

'I'll lead the Division until you get back,' he spoke firmly, filled with sudden resolve, 'I promise,'

Standing, Kira Izuru strode from the small building and vanished with shunpo.

* * *

><p>Author's Note:<p>

So everyone's been pretty anxious for a while, and perhaps they'll remain like that for a little longer . . .


	27. Chapter 27: Don't You Want to Visit?

_Chapter 27: Don't You Want to Visit?_

'It's Sunday Captain!' Matsumoto rushed into the room, barely stopping in time to avoid crashing into Toshiro's bed, 'Come on! Let's go somewhere!'

'Matsumoto-,' the white haired shinigami pulled himself up carefully, donning his haori and strapping his zanpakuto to his back. He knew that Unohana had said he was able to move around now, and he was ready to get back to work.

'Let's go to see Hinamori! She was worried about you but she had a lot of work to do so she couldn't come,' Rangiku was as cheerful as ever, 'Hurry!'

Testing out his shunpo, Toshiro followed his Lieutenant towards the Fifth Division, glad to be out of his own room for a change. His eyes flicked towards the Fourth Division and his expression darkened.

'Shiro-chan!' Momo leapt up from the roof of the Fifth Division offices, smiling hugely. She hugged Toshiro as tightly as she dared, relaxing as soon as she did.

'Hinamori,' trying to escape the Lieutenant's grasp but not yet having regained enough strength to do so, Toshiro protested, 'Let me go!'

'I'm so glad you're okay,' Momo released him, placing her hands on his shoulders and surveying his face carefully, 'So glad you're okay,' unable to resist, she hugged him again. The girl didn't want to imagine life without her 'brother' and now she didn't have to. He was okay.

'Come on you two,' Matsumoto was leaning against the door frame that led to Hinamori's office, 'Don't just stand there all day!'

'Coming,' taking Toshiro's hand, Momo pulled the captain all the way to her office.

* * *

><p>'Lieutenant Kira!' a messenger appeared behind Izuru as he walked around the Third Division, 'I have an urgent message from Captain Unohana from the Fourth Division,'<p>

Fearing the worst, the blonde man spun around, 'Yes?'

'She asks that you don't come to visit your captain for a few days because of a new kido she's trying that requires complete separation from all other reiatsu,' the man spoke apologetically, 'And that she's sorry,'

Sighing in relief, Izuru spoke again, 'That's fine. Thank you,'

Nodding once, the messenger vanished.

Turning back to the office door, Izuru smiled slightly. He was hoping for the best. And, like everyone else in the Division, he thought that Captain Kanashimi was going to be okay. She was a strong shinigami.

* * *

><p>'I'm tired,' after hours of endless chatter, Toshiro had had enough, 'Let's go Matsumoto,'<p>

'Okay, Captain!' patting Momo's head, much to the girl's annoyance, the Lieutenant rose and walked after her captain.

Toshiro paused at the door and glanced at Momo, 'Thanks Hinamori, it's good to see that you're okay too,'

'What?' the Lieutenant was vexed, 'I'm the one who should be worrying about _you_!'

Not wanting to get into an argument, the white haired captain hurried away, Rangiku laughing as she followed.

As the pair of them moved through the Seireitei, Unohana suddenly appeared beside them. The woman was smiling as she told Matsumoto to 'go away please', and then she turned to Toshiro.

'Captain Hitsugaya,' taking his hand, the white haired captain suddenly found himself outside the Fourth Division, and then Unohana continued speaking, 'You should come and visit Captain Kanashimi,'

'What?' Toshiro froze, glad that she wasn't still holding onto him.

'Don't you want to visit?' Unohana was concerned.

The young captain didn't know what to do. On one hand he wanted to see if Kanashimi was okay, although he knew she wasn't, but on the other, he was still feeling so guilty about what happened to her.

Shaking his head, Toshiro moved away, 'No, sorry Unohana,'

Then he used shunpo to vanish quickly.

* * *

><p>The Captain of the Fourth Division sighed as she watched Hitsugaya retreat. She wasn't sure exactly what was going on with Kanashimi, but it was odd that the Tenth Division captain wouldn't want to see her. After all, she'd heard from Yamamoto that the young woman had shown her memories to Hitsugaya. That seemed to her like something a close friend would do. Then again, from what she sensed from Kanashimi, she didn't think the captain would <em>know <em>if she'd found a friend or not. Most likely she wasn't sure what Hitsugaya was at all.

_It would be confusing, if you'd lived in solitude for a long time, and then people suddenly wanted to know you_, Unohana sighed again as she moved back inside Relief Station, _Then if a person started talking to you, and asked you questions, you wouldn't know how to act. You wouldn't know a friend from someone who you considered annoying, what with all their questions and chatter_, a slight smile graced her face, _But I can't imagine Hitsugaya chattering._

The captain was pulled from her thoughts as her Lieutenant appeared beside her, turning, she spoke kindly, 'What is it, Isane?'

'You asked me to remind you to visit Captain Kanashimi and to try a stronger healing kido on her,' the tall girl spoke respectfully.

'Thank you,' nodding, Unohana passed her and continued along towards to the gardens.

* * *

><p>As he filled out another form, Toshiro realised that he'd spilt ink onto a clean sheet of paper. Sighing in annoyance, he moved to discard the sheet and then he stopped, watching the black seeping into the white, changing the whole presence that the previously white page had been emitting.<p>

_You're going mad, thinking about _paper _like that_, he sighed mentally, exasperated with himself, _Next you'll be talking to the flowers that Matsumoto decided to put everywhere._

Even as his internal monologue continued, turquoise eyes never left the sheet of paper.

* * *

><p>Izuru lay on top of the Third Division rooftops and stared at the dark sky. It was fast becoming winter and the air was cool, but he hardly noticed. The Lieutenant was considering everything that entered his mind, and the thoughts that recurred most were always about his captain. The Division members had been talking about her constantly, worrying like old ladies, even the men. They hadn't been in to see her, Unohana had only allowed him in so far.<p>

_She'll be alright_, the words became a silent chant that helped him to relax and the Lieutenant sighed deeply, _She'll be alright_.

He couldn't imagine what would happen if the Third Division lost its captain again.

* * *

><p>Toshiro sighed deeply, leaning back in his chair, and began to think hard. His thoughts were drawn almost immediately to the memories Kanashimi had shown him. He could hardly believe the harshness she'd suffered in her human life, as a child especially. A sudden image of the captain kneeling before an apartment door and bowing flashing through his mind, and his eyes widened. Was that a memory of hers, left over from the kido? Was she paying her respects to Saki? In a sudden flash of understanding, Toshiro realised that she'd been wearing a captain's haori in the image. He assumed that that meant she'd been into that apartment block while they'd been in the World of the Living.<p>

Shaking his head, Toshiro tried to continue on with his report, ignoring the late hour, but his mind was too troubled.

_You don't know how she died._

_You've probably killed her now._

_Do you even care?_

_How can you sit here?_

_It's almost like nothing ever happened._

The accusatory thoughts hammered his mind and suddenly the white haired captain stood, shoving back his chair and slamming down the ink brush, before rushing from the Tenth Division offices.

* * *

><p>Concealing his reiatsu almost perfectly, Toshiro used rapid shunpo to take himself to the Fourth Division. He cast around for other spiritual pressures, but was pleased to find that there only seemed to be other shinigami in the main Relief Station buildings. Turning his gaze to the gardens, the white haired captain descended from the sky and paused. <em>What was he doing?<em>

Toshiro still felt that the whole thing was his fault, but he couldn't help himself. He wanted to see her.

* * *

><p>Yuki was lying in whiteness, burning, harsh whiteness. The comforting coolness of the black that usually greeted her when she fell asleep was gone. She tried to recall why this was happening, how much time had passed?<p>

Suddenly a single thought came to her - Hitsugaya. She recalled in a rush how she'd shown the white haired captain her past, and then how she'd been ending her self-invented kido when it had broken. The tight kido seal around the most brutal of her memories. She wasn't ready for it to break, but it had.

The Tenth Division captain's mind had touched the last remaining thread of kido, and instantly the surging mass of her emotions had rushed along it. It would destroy Hitsugaya's mind. He would die.

She hadn't thought about it, she didn't even know _what _exactly the other captain was to her, but she'd put all of her effort into severing that last link.

Her reiatsu was constantly sealed, the usual force of it too dark to let loose just in case someone succumbed to the sorrow it held, but there was always some that she emitted. Breaking the kido had used all of that reiatsu and she'd been left exhausted. But the memory, the memory of her death, had continued to advance on Hitsugaya's unprotected mind. It had been a reckless decision, but she'd pulled all of the emotions and memories back into her own mind, sucking herself dry of any other spiritual pressure that was still unsealed, and then locking them away with kido once more.

The Third Division captain could feel the new seal cracking under the built up pressure in her mind. It wasn't unusual for memories and thoughts that were locked away to become more potent once released again. She _had _to face her worst fears if she ever wanted to be free from the white again, if she ever wanted to wake up again. There were people who might miss her. But she didn't feel ready. Not yet.

As soon as she released those thoughts, they would consume her, drawing her mind into the hearts of the memories they held. But it wouldn't be the same as when she'd projected her memories into Hitsugaya's mind, projected them into someone else's mind, it would be in _her _mind. And that meant she would be living them again, powerless as her body would experience everything that had happened when she was alive as a human.

It scared her.

The pain.

The fear.

The sorrow.

In her mind, violet eyes closed tightly as the captain curled in on herself, floating in the endless white.

She couldn't do it.

* * *

><p>Toshiro entered the only occupied building, and his gaze flicked around the single room, finally falling on the unconscious captain. With the moonlight streaming through the window, illuminating her form, Kanashimi looked absolutely perfect. Like a tragic doll, or something. Her untidy fringe was falling across her closed eyes, and her hair was loose around her in a river of ebony. The tidy white sheets that covered her were still perfectly positioned, and that meant she hadn't moved at all.<p>

Hesitating now, Toshiro moved over and knelt on the ground at the edge of the blankets. He wasn't even sure why he was there, and the guilt he was feeling now was almost overwhelming. The only thing that showed that she was even alive was the soft rise and fall of her chest.

'Kanashimi?' he didn't expect a response, after everything he'd heard from Unohana and Matsumoto. Surely the Fourth Division captain would've said something if she'd got a response from the sleeping shinigami.

The breath caught in his throat as the Third Division captain sighed and her graceful fingers twitched slightly.

* * *

><p>Yuki distantly sensed a new presence entering the place where she was, although she <em>wasn't <em>really there at all. It took her pained mind a moment to identify the shinigami, and then she realised that it was Hitsugaya. She found that she was glad he seemed okay, and she was relieved that her actions of sealing away the memories again had saved his mind from being destroyed.

When, very faintly as if from a long way away, she heard the captain say her name, her mind stilled for a moment, the harsh white dimming and the usual icy cool blowing through.

She felt her physical body exhale heavily and then the fingers of the hand she wielded her zanpakuto in shifted.

The captain knew that there was pain, despair and terrifying things facing her, but that didn't matter.

Yuki was ready.

* * *

><p>As he sat, silently staring out the window of the recovery room, Toshiro flinched violently. Blinking in surprise, he wondered why, until he realised that there was an idea in his mind. One that was obviously powerful enough to cause a physical reaction.<p>

Sighing at his own oddness, the Tenth Division captain raised his hand, calling on his own kido. Once again, he didn't think anything would happen, after all, Unohana was a master of kido and she hadn't been able to get a reaction from the unconscious captain, but it was worth a try.

Reaching out, Toshiro gently touched Kanashimi's now limp hand. As his fingers met her palm, an image appeared in his head.

'_You are no longer Harukaze Yuki,' a stern man leered at the young girl, waving an official looking document at her, 'You are now Kanashimi Yuki, a girl who is no longer part of our family. Your new name shall reflect your cursed nature,'_

'_We don't want anything to do with you,' a woman's high voice rang out, and a manicured hand snatched the paper away from the man, 'This is legal,'_

'_Go away,' Yuki's voice was calm. Even at four years old, she could tell when she really wasn't wanted. Her surname, Harukaze, had never fit her very well. How could a spring wind coincide harmoniously with snow?_

'_Let's go,' the group of Harukaze family members turned and walked away, 'Someone call a car for that girl,'  
><em>

Toshiro wondered just how he'd received that memory from Kanashimi. After all, she hadn't used her unique kido or anything. All he could think was that the thought had passed through _his _kido.

_So your last name was once Harukaze? _the white haired captain was mildly amused, _It doesn't suit you_.

* * *

><p>Inside the white, Yuki could hear things very faintly. She thought she heard Hitsugaya remark about her first surname, but she couldn't be sure as it didn't sound like he'd spoken. Still, reliving that first memory wasn't that hard. She'd experienced what it was like to be that young, that innocent, again.<p>

Sure she'd known about things practically no other four year old would've dreamed about, and she'd been oddly mature for her years, but, in those years of her human life, true knowledge only came with experience.

Yuki knew that she was going to have to face harsher memories now. But she couldn't back down, the seal was about to break anyway, so she was going to stand her ground.

_Experience the agony once again_, a cruel voice mocked her, _Feel what it's like to die. I'll help you out. After all, I'm gonna kill you. That's right, you're gonna die!_

* * *

><p>It was time to go. He'd been here long enough and sooner or later Unohana would arrive. After all, it was almost dawn and Toshiro knew that the Fourth Division captain worked a tight schedule.<p>

As he moved to rise, the useless kido light fading away, pale fingers grasped his hand, holding tightly for a moment, before relaxing again. Surprised, Toshiro stood quickly, and then turned away. The tenseness in her hand – he could only imagine what she was experiencing now, because, if his guess was correct, she was about to relive her worst fears.

Trying not to be too concerned, the white haired captain exited the building.

* * *

><p>Author's Note:<p>

Sorry . . . this chapter was a bit jumpy!


	28. Chapter 28: Memories of Death

_Chapter 28: Memories of Death_

Yuki waited. She stood in her own mind and watched the cracks spreading across the seal she'd created there. It would break soon, and release her darkest thoughts. The dark that wasn't comforting like any other blackness.

She was scared. So, _so_ scared. But she had to relive the memories. She wanted to wake up. She wanted to resume her position as a shinigami captain. There were people she actually wanted to see again. People that might have missed her. Kira, perhaps.

And then there was one person that she wanted to talk to.

Lavender eyes closed as there was a great shattering sound and the black barrier disintegrated in shards of kido.

* * *

><p><em>Yuki was eighteen. She was almost finished high school and that was quite a relief. It would bring a change from the glares and mocking remarks that she received. And it would make fighting the Hollows easier since she wouldn't need to keep making up explanatory stories.<em>

_It was a school day, the first one in the new week, and everyone was pretty unenthusiastic. The sharp comments lacked their usual bite and everyone looked ready to go home and sleep, or something._

'_Listen up everyone!' the teacher began to talk, trying to gain the class' attention, 'Today we're going to begin with-,'_

_Yuki was hardly listening as she was focused entirely on the strange sensation coming from the edge of Karakura Town. It felt like a Hollow, but it seemed like the reiatsu was denser and more vicious. Gritty almost._

_When the spiritual pressure flared suddenly, the young woman stood up abruptly, silencing the teacher. Everyone turned to stare at the strange girl who was always put in the corner at the back of the room, the girl who most people were secretly scared of. Some of them even admired her appearance, but were too worried about disagreeing with the class majority to approach her._

'_Kanashimi!' the teacher was angry. That girl interrupted too many classes._

_Without a word, Yuki slammed open the nearest window and then leapt out, flexible, graceful, and silent in her actions. Everyone in the room gasped in shock and raced to the side of the room, peering out and watching their classmate fall._

_No one could believe their eyes when Yuki landed perfectly, in a crouch, without breaking any bones or anything, and then ran off._

'_What the hell is she?' someone muttered in disbelief._

_No one replied because they didn't have a clue._

* * *

><p><em>Yuki kept running. Her breaths were getting shorter but she didn't stop. The reiatu was coming from the eastern area of Karakura, right at the edge. <em>

_She had to get there before the Hollow could get closer to the town's centre and begin causing devastating damage. She hoped no one had died yet._

_Stopping outside an old, seemingly abandoned warehouse, Yuki cast around quickly for any sign of the malevolent spirit. Her lavender eyes narrowed slightly as a human like figure walked from the darkness within the building, shrouded by the dust that was being blown up by the light wind._

'_Are you a Hollow?' she questioned it immediately, not waiting for it to emerge fully._

'_Are you a shinigami?' the Hollow, if that's what it was, spoke in a very normal way._

'_No,' Yuki drew her zanpakuto._

'_Yes,' the Hollow replied pleasantly, then it paused, 'Who are you?'_

_The black haired girl watched as the dust cleared and revealed a very strange looking Hollow. It had a human like form, but there was a lot of white covering its body. The bird like mask on its face was broken slightly, revealing much more of its features than any other Hollow she'd seen before._

_Yuki could tell that it was male, and that it was powerful, going by its appearance and reiatsu respectively._

'_What happened to your mask?' she didn't attack yet, still wondering about its unusual appearance._

'_What happened to your shihakusho?' he didn't believe her when she said she wasn't a shinigami. He's encountered enough of the troublesome beings to know one when he saw one._

'_Kanashimi Yuki,' ignoring his question, she prepared to attack._

'_That so?' he sounded genuinely interested, 'I'm not gonna tell you my name. Waste of breath really,' he vanished and appeared right in front of her, leaning forwards, 'Since you're gonna be dead soon anyway,'_

_Yuki slashed upwards, the tip of her katana skittering over the hard skin of the Hollow. She had no idea what this Hollow was, or how he seemed so powerful and was able to move so fast, but she couldn't run. She wouldn't run._

'_You can't cut me,' as he spoke, Kuro-kyō Shinu Meikin's blade dug into his arm, 'What?'_

'_Don't speak so rashly,' Yuki began a whirl of slashing attacks, instincts mixed with her zanpakuto's training directing her blade._

'_You little-,' striking out with his own zanpakuto, the Hollow began to counter every one of her attacks. He was smirking now, confident that that one injury was all he was going to sustain._

_Yuki was confused. Not only did this Hollow look different, but it fought differently too. It had a zanpakuto. The strikes and blocks were powerful and unlike any she'd encountered before._

'_You didn't actually think you could win?' the mocking voice sounded as the Hollow used sonido to appear behind her, swinging its leg so that it hit Yuki's middle and sent her flying backwards. _

_Violet eyes narrowed in pain as Yuki felt herself crash through the outer wall of the warehouse, and then slam into the one at the back of it. She'd travelled a long distance in that one fall, and the pain in her chest was incredible._

_The Hollow sauntered over confidently, raising his blade to finish her off. Defiance shone in Yuki's eyes as she leapt up, swallowing her wince of pain, and began to attack again._

_Sparks of heat flew as the blades clashed repeatedly. Yuki would attack, then be driven back again, and the whole thing continued in a deadly dance of life and death._

* * *

><p><em>Yuki's eyes widened as the Hollow jumped back suddenly, slamming his blade into the ground, sending out shockwaves of energy. In the cracking of earth that followed, his words, as she was sure he'd spoken, were lost.<em>

_However, when the dust cleared, the Hollow had changed drastically in appearance. His fingers were long, thin, talon like claws, and he looked leaner too, a dark cape of feathers extending from his shoulders. The remains of his mask had changed, with the bird beak becoming longer, and the rest extending further down his neck. The lights cuts to his skin, and the tears to his uniform were gone, as if she'd never injured him at all._

'_Come on,' using sonido, the Hollow appeared right before her again, grasping her shoulder and leaning forwards to whisper in her ear, 'I'm gonna kill you. That's right, you're gonna die,'_

_Although she slashed out, Yuki suddenly found that the Hollow was behind her. Even as she spun, taloned claws flicked upwards, ripping through skin and flesh, tearing great gashes along her back. _

_The hot wetness of her own blood made Yuki wince, not to mention the agonising pain. She rose and tried to attack once more, the Hollow blocking each strike as if she were a helpless child. And, in this situation, she really was._

_At that stage, Yuki had no knowledge of shunpo, sonido, shinigami, or Arrancar. It was as if she was fighting with her eyes closed. Her zanpakuto had taught her, but, although she had the Shikai release, the only change that came about was one of appearance. It was a hopeless situation._

'_Does it hurt?' violet eyes snapped back into focus and the teenager tried to stay standing straight. Her back was throbbing, blood beginning to run, staining her clothes._

'_No,' her voice was level, calm, and indifferent. She could ignore a bit of discomfort for the safety of others._

'_Really,' the annoyance in the Hollow's tone was tangible as it rushed forwards again. Yuki raised her zanpakuto to block the strikes, but it was useless, the claws simply sliding around the blade. She hissed quietly as her neck and shoulder were slashed, then her left arm, and her right leg. The depth of the wounds was but one of the things troubling her at that time._

'_Does it hurt now?' screaming at her, the Hollow began tracing a swirling pattern on her sword arm, talon slicing through skin as if it were paper, a sadistic grin on his half exposed face._

'_No,' Yuki gritted her teeth with the effort of not letting a single sound escape her mouth. _

_Once again her reply only infuriated the Hollow and he slammed downwards with his foot, snapping Yuki's right arm easily. The zanpakuto rolled from her limp hand, coming to a rest at the Hollow's foot._

_Lavender eyes widened in shock and Yuki tried to pull herself forwards with her one good arm, fingers reaching for the katana._

_The Hollow watched in silence for a minute before flicking his foot, sending the blade flying upwards, then catching it in one hand, 'What do we have here?' his tone was mocking, 'This katana looks like it needs a bit of repairing,'_

_The sadistic tone in his voice deepened as he watched the suddenly agony appear on Yuki's face as she desperately tried to rise._

_That zanpakuto was her only friend. The only person she spoke to. The only one who cared about her. She couldn't let him have it._

_Yuki staggered to her feet, blood flying out from her body, and took an unsteady step forwards. She could feel her lighter wounds healing slowly, but it wasn't going to be enough._

'_I think this should help,' raising the blade in front of him, the Hollow smiled. _

_Yuki's will to fight shattered along with her zanpakuto as the Hollow's taloned hand crushed the blade into multiple pieces._

_Casting the shards away and tossing the hilt over his shoulder, the Hollow wandered forwards, stopping before Yuki._

'_Kanashimi,' his tone was thoughtful as he drove his left hand into her stomach, claws meeting no resistance in their deadly path, 'What a fitting name,'_

_As the Hollow ripped his hand free, Yuki shuddered but she remained standing, ignoring the gaping wound as best she could. Frowning slightly, the Hollow began to slash her up, lacerating and tearing at her skin. Then, when she stumbled backwards, eyes empty and dark, he kicked her to the ground and began beating her. Tiring of that after a while, talons began to pierce Yuki's flesh as the Hollow created a bloody pattern of holes across her limbs. Finally he rose and kicked her once more for good measure, then he decided he couldn't resist slicing her one more time. Feeling his claws pass through her lungs was just too nice a feeling to pass up._

_Walking to the door of the warehouse, the Hollow glanced backwards, 'I said you're gonna die, didn't I?'_

_And he raised his hand, a mahogany cero pulsing from his palm._

* * *

><p><em>Yuki was lying on her side, one hand stretched out before her, trying to reach the hilt of her zanpakuto, and the rest of her body was just limp. Her violet eyes watched the cero grow and then they closed as the blast shot towards her. She was surprised when he appeared to miss as she couldn't feel anything, but then the ground around her erupted into flames. Through the simmering heat, she opened her eyes fractionally and watched the Hollow spit on the ground and then leave through an eye shaped gateway. <em>

_As her clothes began to catch alight, Yuki closed her eyes again and the single tear that fell from her eye evaporated instantly in the heat._

* * *

><p>Yuki found that, in her mind, her eyes were watery. Her body felt like it was on fire all over again, the wounds covering her body throbbing and aching. The agony was so real, and yet her skin was unmarked and there was only whiteness around her.<p>

_I can't stop it now, _her voice was quivering in an effort to stay level, _I have to finish this._

The fear and pain was building in her mind and she felt that she couldn't take any more. She might seem like she was coping relatively well, considering as she was reliving her own death, but in reality the trauma of the even was so heavy. It weighed on everything, including her reiatsu, which was why she'd sealed that away in the first place.

_It's not over yet. There's more to come. And if my mind survives this, then these memories will begin to fade. However, such fears that have become so ingrained in one's soul – they will never be forgotten._

_Kanashimi Yuki . . . you will forever be afraid of dying._

* * *

><p>Author's Note:<p>

Yuki's death . . .


	29. Chapter 29: Memories of Junrinan

_Chapter 29: Memories of Junrinan_

_Junrinan. First District of Rukongai. Soul Society.  
><em>

_Wandering, endless wandering. Heat, it was too hot. Hunger, it was beginning to eat away at her insides. Tired, so, so tired._

_Yuki had been in Junrinan for a short while now. All she did was walk and try to find high places to view the sky from. But she was getting weak and she knew it._

_Most of the souls she'd seen were never hungry, and it vexed her as to why, but she didn't try to interact with them to find out. She didn't try to interact with anyone._

_Consequently it came as a surprise when someone wearing the most respectable outfit she'd seen in a while, a clean red and white which was a stark comparison to the simple clothes many people seemed to wear, and began to talk to her._

'_Hey you,' the girl had brown hair and an odd smile, 'You should join the Shino Academy,'_

'_Who are you and what are you talking about?' Yuki's tone was cold and wary._

'_I'm just a girl,' she smiled again, the lopsided grin making her look rather . . . unintelligent, 'But I'm training to be a shinigami,'_

'_Shinigami?' Yuki could remember that Hollow mentioning shinigami but she still didn't know what they were. _

'_That's right,' nodding, the girl turned and pointed, 'It's that way if you want to enrol,'_

'_Why should I?' as she remembered her human life, and how she'd died, Yuki wasn't willing to trust anyone._

'_Because I sense some reiatsu coming from you,' suddenly the girl just walked off, 'Anyway, think about it,'_

_Yuki stared after her. She saw the katana on the girl's back and realised that a shinigami must wield a zanpakuto. She _did _want to go that Academy now. If it would help her materialise Kuro-kyō Shinu Meikin again, then she was willing to try it out. Also, since the girl hadn't looked at all hungry, Yuki assumed that food must be provided as well._

* * *

><p>'<em>You will need to take the admission exam,' an elderly man surveyed Yuki carefully, noting her seemingly low reiatsu output. He was old, and his age had made him sceptical.<em>

'_Admission exam?' Yuki knew it would be pretty hard for her to get accepted considering her complete lack of knowledge of the Soul Society. As she'd walked into the Academy grounds, many people had been talking about Hollows, zanpakuto, kido, hoho and a whole variety of different things. The only ones she understood were the first ones, so she wasn't exactly entirely hopeful about her situation._

'_That's right,' the man obviously doubted her chances as well, and not just because of her appearance._

'_Right,' Yuki tried to think of a way to work out her situation. This was really her only chance. And she was _hungry.

'_Excuse me,' another man – he looked like a teacher – approached the pair, 'Who are you?'_

'_Kanashimi Yuki,' her tone was still wary, and her eyes were scanning his face very carefully, watching his every action. Ready to bolt._

'_Kanshimi Yuki, please come with me,' the man began to walk off. He sensed some definite power in this girl, and besides, he had his orders._

_Yuki followed silently, and, as they entered a separate room, she saw an old man in a white coat, leaning on a thick staff. He emanated power and she supposed he was a shinigami. At the same time, she noted once again that she was starving._

'_Is this her?' his voice was very calm, old, patient._

'_Yes sir,' bowing, the other man retreated._

'_Who are you?' Yuki was curious._

_Yamamoto, as that's who it was, turned his attention to Yuki, 'I am the Head Captain of the Gotei 13,' then he paused, 'Your reiatsu is different to a normal reiatsu. We have been sensing it for a while now,' his eyes were closed, 'Why do you wish to join this Academy?'_

_Yuki knew that, since a shinigami was in charge of killing Hollows in order to protect human souls – or at least, that's what she'd heard – he'd probably be expecting an answer along those lines. However, she didn't have knowledge about the full duties of a shinigami, so she wasn't going to lie._

'_Because I'm hungry,' her tone was cool and she wasn't nervous. As soon as she'd come into this man's presence, she could almost feel the spirit of her zanpakuto again._

_Yamamoto was surprised, he hadn't been expecting an answer like that, but he continued on evenly, 'Please demonstrate your reiatsu,'_

_Yuki didn't have a clue what he meant. She was intelligent, learned things quickly, and remembered them as well, but if you hadn't been taught anything, then you had nothing _to _remember._

_Instead, she just focused on attempting to draw out her zanpakuto._

_The Head Captain watched with half lidded eyes as a flicker of black light began to flow from the girl. _Her _strangely coloured eyes were closed, and her hands were clenched. _

_There was a pause, as though nothing was going to happen, and then a torrent of raging darkness burst from Yuki's body._

_The raw sorrow and pain that the untrained reiatsu held was powerful enough to make the Head Captain release more of his own in order to combat it. His eyes opened further when one of the First Division members pulled open the door and then fell forwards, eyes rolling backwards. _

_Understanding dawned on the old man's face and he released a kido, one that temporarily suppressed Kanashimi's reiatsu_

_That reiatsu had killed someone._

'_You're spiritual pressure is strong,' it was an understatement, especially since she was untrained, but he didn't elaborate, 'However you will be trained separately from the other students here,'_

_Yuki wasn't surprised. It wasn't as if she could suddenly be accepted into normal society again. She was still an oddity, even amongst others who fought Hollows and wielded zanpakuto._

* * *

><p>'<em>Your skills in zanjutsu, hakuda and kido are excellent,' all of Kanashimi's teachers were garbed in a special material designed by the Kido Corps that would protect them if Yuki's reiatsu flared again, 'And your shunpo is superb!'<em>

_Yuki wasn't listening to the man, instead she was gazing out over the lush green field and trying to concentrate on the cool sensation spreading through her body. _

_It was her zanpakuto spirit._

'_Kuro-kyō Shinu Meikin,' she raised her hand, feeling the icy wind and the black feathers burst from her body, 'Come to me,'_

_The katana formed in her hand and then she lowered her arm, fingers curling around the familiar hilt. She had her zanpakuto back. And she had its Shikai. Now, due to her training, she would be able to learn its abilities too._

'_Kanashimi!' the teacher tried to hide his surprise at the sudden katana materialisation by sounding angry, 'Were you even listening?'_

'_Sorry,' she sheathed the katana, hand lingering on the hilt, 'What were you saying?'_

'_You are to graduate the Academy tomorrow,' it was the Head Captain's voice. He had decided that, although she'd only been at the Academy for a couple of months, it was time to move her on. Multiple renowned teachers had been injured trying to train her, and the decision had been made to send her on a long-term mission. If she died, then perhaps it would be better for everyone._

'_Why?' Yuki was curious more than suspicious._

'_You have learned everything we can teach you,' the teacher removed the protective garb and sighed, 'And you have excelled in all subjects,'_

'_You've replaced the other prodigies who've passed through this Academy,' another person, who knew who he was, began speaking._

'_They were younger, nothing changes,' Yuki spoke almost sharply and the man fell silent._

'_You have been assigned a mission that will possibly require visits to parts of the World of the Living,' Yamamoto began to speak again, 'There are a very dangerous group of Hollows that need dealing with,'_

'_Right,' Yuki paused, 'Do I travel alone?' _

_It didn't bother her, but she was interested to hear his answer._

'_Nope, we're going with you,' four recently graduated shinigami approached her._

'_Oh,' hiding her amusement, Yuki just nodded._

'_Please leave immediately,' the Head Captain turned to leave himself._

_Violet eyes flicked shut and Yuki raised her hands, moving her fingers in a series of rapid gestures, her irises, hidden by her eyelids, began to glow with a black light, 'Shōkyo Omoide,'_

_Power burst from her, spreading out over the Academy and washing into the Seireitei, unhindered by the protective shield._

_Yamamoto turned, realising that this kido was one that Kanashimi must have invented herself. The name, Shōkyo Omoide, suggested that she was attempting to erase everyone's memories of, most presumably, her._

_He didn't think such a kido would work, after all, memories were incredibly hard to erase, but suddenly he found _himself _forgetting how fast she'd been progressing and why he'd searched for her in the first place. Certainly if he'd attempted to prevent it with his own kido he would have easily defeated her, but he didn't as he felt that there was only a few things he needed to remember about her. As the girl turned away, the only things to remain in his mind were her name and her abilities. _

* * *

><p>Yuki sighed as the memory faded from her unconscious mind. Trialling that kido on the <em>Head Captain <em>had been really _bad_. And, for some reason, the memory felt _wrong._

_So irresponsible_, she sighed again, glancing at her hands, _And I don't know why he didn't just kill me. But there's still more to come, isn't there?_

* * *

><p><em>After the others who'd come with her had been killed, Yuki had continued on alone, fighting Hollows and training harder and harder, just to keep her mind from wandering. It had been at about that time when the memories she'd experienced in her human life had started moving in her mind again. Tormenting her with their constant presence.<em>

'_I will bind them away,' her tone was resolute, 'I might regret it later, but for now this is best,'_

_The black kido light, the light which signified her unique kido, formed around her hands, flickered in her eyes, and she pressed her fingers to her head. Layer after layer of barriers and seals formed around her memories, locking away her darkest fears._

_As the sun rose over the horizon, the barrier was completed and her mind lightened. For a short time, perhaps, she would be free._

* * *

><p>A sad smile graced Yuki's face as once again she was left in the whiteness. She noticed that it was steadily losing its glow and assumed it must be because she was reliving the memories of her past. The ones of her time in Junrinan and the Academy had never been sealed, but they'd troubled her just the same.<p>

_The memory erasing kido didn't really work on Yamamoto, _she was still lightly amused about that, although something was still troubling her_._

During her mission she'd developed more kido and perfected the use of her Shikai. A while later, she'd learned Bankai, and that was what had made her eligible for a captain's position on her return to the Seireitei. She thought that it was interesting that the Head Captain had sent someone to find her in order to ask if she'd achieved her zanpakuto's second release. Almost like he knew something that she herself didn't.

The worst of the memories were over. All that remained was some slight events during her mission, and then some others of her life as a human. However, to wake up again, she would have to 'die' thousands of times over. That single memory had cut a deep hole in her soul, and that could only be healed one way. And the emotions that she'd pulled back into her mind to save Hitsugaya could only be dulled that one way too.

How long would she have to experience her own death for?

When was she going to wake up?

She _needed _to wake up.

* * *

><p>Author's Note:<p>

Another chapter on Yuki. About the part with the Head Captain . . . yes, I know it's unrealistic. I can't really say anything more than its just part of the future plot and will be explained then


	30. Chapter 30: No Lost Hope

_Chapter 30: No Lost Hope_

The night after Toshiro had visited Kanashimi, he was sleeping, experiencing a dreamless darkness. Suddenly, the white haired captain saw images appearing in his mind, casting aside the black.

Images of Kanashimi.

The first was of her sitting in the back of a classroom. He realised that it was Karakura High School and wondered if that memory was the reason she'd walked out when they'd been there. It seemed most probable.

Then it changed and he saw her jumping out the window beside her desk, running through the town, meeting the Arrancar, fighting him.

Toshiro unconsciously bit the inside of his mouth when the scene changed and he watched as the Arrancar slashed, impaled and beat Kanashimi. Blood was flying everywhere. A nightmare scene of crimson.

Turquoise darkened as the captain watched as the Arrancar moved away and stopped at the door, beginning to charge a cero. He was beginning to understand why Kanashimi was so afraid of dying, although the images he was seeing seemed stilted and unrealistic.

As the cero shot towards the dying girl, Toshiro watched as her eyes closed and then the flames engulfed her body. He tensed as an agonised cry ripped through his mind. The human Kanashimi's lips weren't moving, even as the fire licked around her, so he assumed that the sound was on the mental plane.

Eyes flashing open, the young captain sat bolt upright, hands clutching his head as the scream echoed through his mind along with images of death. Such a tragic, brutal death.

_That's not something to force upon another person. Not at all, _he recalled her words and realised how right she'd been. And how kind.

Suddenly realising that his reiatsu was flaring wildly and that the whole room was covered in an inch thick layer of ice, Toshiro sighed and tried to steady his spiritual pressure. He couldn't just let it get out of control like that – he could freeze someone if he wasn't careful.

Sighing and trying not to let his mind drift to Kanashimi's memories again, Toshiro lay back down. He was feeling guilty, definitely, and he wasn't sure to do about the whole situation.

* * *

><p>Unohana knelt beside Kanashimi's bedding and gazed at the sleeping captain sorrowfully. There had been no change in the shinigami's condition in the time she'd been in the Relied Station. She hadn't even moved.<p>

The Fourth Division captain had tried so many different kido combinations but they were still being negated and rejected. There wasn't anything she could do.

The woman was trying to be positive, and usually that wasn't so hard. But, staring at the beautiful girl, laid out as if she was dead, made her doubt that Kanashimi would be alright.

As Isane approached the building, Unohana rose and exited, placing a kind smile on her face again.

* * *

><p>Izuru was getting depressed and he, as well as everyone in the Third Division, knew it. It was hard to stay optimistic when you weren't allowed to see your injured captain and no one knew how she was. All they could do was wait, but waiting was always the hardest part.<p>

'Lieutenant Kira,' one of the Division members approached the blonde man, 'Have you heard from Unohana?'

Turning, Izuru surveyed the usually arrogant man, noting his concerned but slightly hopeful expression, and then he shook his head, 'I'm going to go speak to Unohana soon. Maybe she'll have some good news,'

'Yeah,' although the man smiled, he didn't believe himself for an instant.

* * *

><p>Matsumoto was having a really hard time. She was going around to the different Divisions, but still mainly the Third and Tenth, and trying to cheer everyone up. Even the strange shinigami in the Twelfth Division and the somewhat brutish Eleventh Division members seemed slightly pitiful of the Third Division captain's predicament.<p>

'Hey Captain,' she slumped onto the couch in his office, 'This is actually really difficult you know? Everyone's so gloomy that it's depressing! My, my, I just can't believe this whole thing,'

'Matsumoto-,' Toshiro began to tell her to go away if she wasn't going to be helpful, when the Lieutenant jumped up and raced over to him, leaning across the desk, she began crushing him to her chest.

'Matsumoto!' the shout was muffled and a bit weak as the white haired captain couldn't breathe, but the woman released him anyway, 'What the hell was that for?'

'Captain!' she pretended to be insulted but she was privately pleased to see him actually looking _alive_. Anyone would've thought that _he _was the one who'd been gravely injured in an unknown way.

'Yes?' his tone was furious as she'd caused him to ruin yet another report, 'What is it Matsumoto?'

'Cheer up!' her voice sounded kind of mechanical as if she'd been saying the same thing a lot, which she had, 'Don't worry! Everything's going to be fine,'

'If that's what you've been wasting your time doing, then I don't even want to know what you're about to do now!' Toshiro was yelling at her, setting down his brush and standing up, leaning forwards.

'That's mean! I'm just trying to help!' Matsumoto was also still feeling a bit guilty about the incident, although she hadn't had anything to do with it.

'Help?' the white haired captain sighed deeply, 'You have a strange idea of help,'

Matsumoto walked over to the door, pausing, she said, 'Unohana asked me to ask you if you wanted to visit Captain Kanashimi,' as she disappeared down the hall, she added, 'I also heard Izuru saying he wasn't allowed to visit her at the moment. You're really lucky, Captain. There are a lot of people who want to see her,'

Toshiro didn't reply, but his expression was troubled as he sat back down at his desk.

* * *

><p>Unohana blinked as she finished healing another injured shinigami. Turning, she frowned slightly, thinking she'd sensed Hitsugaya's reiatsu. However, no trace remained, so she shook her head, thinking she was imagining things. After all, with the amount of healing she did, she was bound to get a bit tired at some point.<p>

'Captain,' Isane appeared beside her, 'Lieutenant Kira is here to speak to you,'

Nodding, the woman thanked her Lieutenant and then hurried towards the entrance to the Relief Station.

'What is it?' Unohana surveyed the blonde shinigami closely.

'How's the captain,' from the deeply melancholy tone he was using, things must be getting pretty hard in the Third Division, 'Is she awake yet?'

'No, I'm sorry,' shaking her head, the woman smiled sadly, 'Not yet,'

'I see,' the disappointment in his voice was barely concealed, then Izuru forced a smile onto his face, 'But she'll be fine!'

'That's right,' now Unohana smiled properly, 'I _know _she'd going to get better,'

When the Fourth Division captain spoke those words, Izuru was intensely relieved. Even if Unohana knew she couldn't do anything to help, she was almost always able to tell if a patient would recover or not.

'Thank you, Captain Unohana,' nodding in appreciation, the Lieutenant turned and used shunpo to vanish.

* * *

><p>For five days Toshiro visited Kanashimi secretly, hiding his reiatsu and sneaking into the Fourth Division gardens. The first time he'd done it during the day, he was certain Unohana had sensed him, but she hadn't come to investigate so he figured he was safe.<p>

Despite the guilt he felt over her injuries, the Tenth Division captain was unable to _not _come and visit. He knew for a fact that no one was supposed to see the captain, but still, that didn't stop him.

Looking at Kanashimi's still unconscious form, Toshiro began wondering about how the reliving of memories went about. He assumed that either the time in the memories was different to the time in the Soul Society, which would consequently mean she'd be asleep for longer, or that she just had a lot of memories to go through.

Silently sitting in the peaceful room, either just staring out the window or filling out forms, Toshiro spent many a calm afternoon.

* * *

><p>Unohana was sure of it, and she was surprised at the same time as pleased. For a few days now, each morning when she went to check on Kanashimi, there were very faint traces of Hitsugaya's reitasu still in the room. Someone without her kido and reiatsu sensing abilities probably wouldn't have noticed, but she had.<p>

If the captain of the Tenth Division was coming, then it wasn't a bad thing necessarily. After all, even when she'd said Kanashimi couldn't have any guests, she'd still asked Lieutenant Matsumoto to tell her captain to come. Unohana wasn't sure why exactly she felt that the white haired shinigami should visit, but it was an instinct and she often trusted her instincts. Smiling to herself, she turned and went back to work.

* * *

><p>In a small, one roomed building in the Fourth Division gardens, Kanashimi Yuki stirred.<p>

* * *

><p>Author's Note:<p>

Tension . . . sometimes even I don't know what to expect next


	31. Chapter 31: Woken

_Chapter 31: Woken_

'It's Sunday!' Matsumoto's incredibly loud shout woke many of the Tenth Division members who were still asleep in the barracks. They were used to their Lieutenant suddenly declaring that it was a Sunday. Most of them had just come to the conclusion that she liked to be the centre of attention and also enjoyed telling everyone what day it was. Naturally, they'd all been woken up the day before when an even louder 'It's Saturday everyone' had sounded.

* * *

><p>In his room, Toshiro's eyes flicked open and he sat up, wondering what, apart from his Lieutenant's shout, had woken him. Something had changed, but he couldn't work out what it was. For some reason, he decided that it probably wasn't Matsumoto beginning to do paperwork and be a diligent subordinate, and that it wasn't that the Seireitei had been attacked, unless you counted the cloud of jigokucho that had been accidentally released from the Sixth Division the day before. So what was it?<p>

Sighing deeply, the white haired captain rubbed his face and then paused, listening for any strange sounds around the barracks. Matsumoto was singing and making a musical instrument out of sake bottles next door, and a few Division members seemed to be snoring, but there wasn't anything _really _unusual with any of that.

Turquoise eyes widened impossibly as Toshiro suddenly figured it out.

_Kanashimi Yuki was awake._

* * *

><p>Unohana sensed a distant change in Hitsugaya's reiatsu, and she blinked. Then she felt another change but in the opposite direction.<p>

'Please move,' rushing through the corridors, the captain hurried towards the Fourth Division gardens. Was it true? Had Hitsugaya sensed the change before anyone else?

Opening the door as quietly as she could in her haste, Unohana stepped into the quiet room. Her eyes immediately fell to the figure on the bed.

But this time she wasn't lying down, and she definitely wasn't sleeping.

'Captain Kanashimi,' the relief in Unohana's voice was tangible, 'How are you feeling?' she walked forwards and knelt beside the other captain.

Violet eyes turned to gaze at her face, blinking once, and then Kanashimi spoke and Unohana almost laughed with joy, 'Fine,'

There was a slightly unsettled air in the Third Division captain's expression, but her tone was its normal cool. She didn't look entirely well, however, as her eyes held some darkness, and her skin was deathly pale. But it didn't matter, all that mattered was that she was awake.

'I'm glad to see you,' Unohana smiled, and it was a look that came directly from her heart, 'And I'm sure there's going to be a lot more people waiting to see you too,'

The picture that the young woman was presenting . . . was absolutely beautiful. Her dark hair cascaded in smooth lines around her face and past her shoulders, lavender eyes half hidden by her untidy fringe, delicate features looking breathtakingly sorrowful. Sorrowful, yes, there was still that sad feeling around the captain.

'My shihakusho?' turned slightly, Yuki looked around for her black uniform, and her zanpakuto.

'Here,' Unohana went over to the only other piece of furniture apart from the table, and opened the lid. Taking out the fabric shihakusho and haori, she handed them to the still seated captain. Then she went over to the door to retrieve the zanpakuto.

'Thank you,' standing with only the slightest bit of unsteadiness, Yuki began to remove the white kimono she'd been dressed in, and change into her uniform.

As she secured her katana to her waist and straightened her haori, she glanced around and noticed that, once Unohana had given the items to her, the captain had moved to the door. A black butterfly flew away from the Fourth Division captain, and Yuki realised that she must be telling the news to everyone.

'How long have I been here?' she walked over to the door and leant on the frame.

'It's a Sunday today,' Unohana glanced at her, 'You and Captain Hitsugaya were found two Sundays ago,'

'I see,' nodding, Yuki turned in the direction of her Division, 'I should go,'

'Alright,' knowing that the other captain wasn't all that comfortable in social situations, Unohana just nodded, not wanting to keep her much longer, 'Be careful,'

Yuki paused a moment longer before using her shunpo to move towards the Third Division.

Unohana was glad – Captain Kanashimi was awake and seemed relatively well. The Divisions would probably all be relieved, and no doubt they'd try to organise something big in way of a celebration.

As Isane walked over to her, the captain smiled at her and told her the news.

* * *

><p>'Captain!' Matsumoto was screaming in excitement, 'Captain! Captain! CAPTAIN!'<p>

'Yes?' Toshiro tried to stay calm despite his Lieutenant's infuriating manner, 'What is it?'

'Did you hear? Captain Kanashimi woke up!' she was shrieking in his face and suddenly the white haired captain noticed that the whole Division was assembled before the offices. Everyone was smiling and the general feeling in the air was one of relief.

'I heard,' Toshiro realised that, since Matsumoto always told people news _as soon as it was released to the public_, he must have sensed the change before anyone else. Except perhaps Unohana.

'And?' drawing out the word, Rangiku shook her captain violently. She was wondering why he didn't look happier, especially since she was certain Kanashimi was his friend.

'And?' the young captain fed the word back at her, annoyed with her behaviour. What did she expect him to do? Jump for joy or something?

'I can't believe you,' brushing her strawberry blonde hair back dramatically, Matsumoto flounced away, 'Can't believe you!'

Grinning, everyone else sighed at the Lieutenant's antics, and began to disperse, going back to their work like a proper subordinate should.

Not willing to give up so easily, Rangiku scampered over to Toshiro and paused in front of him, 'Captain-,'

Cutting her off with a snap of, 'Matsumoto! Get back to work or else I'll get the Head Captain to close down every single sake shop in the Soul Society', the captain turned and walked away. He couldn't just go and see Kanashimi, after all, it was his fault she'd been placed in that situation in the first place. The guilt he was feeling had somehow overwhelmed the relief.

Scared now, although she didn't think his threat was serious, Rangiku hurried back into the offices.

* * *

><p>'CAPTAIN!' the shout that Kanashimi received when she arrived at the Third Division offices was deafening and she barely suppressed a flinch.<p>

'Everyone,' she bowed slightly in front of her excited Division.

'Captain,' Izuru appeared by her side, the smile on his face making him look so different to usual, as he laughed and cried at the same time, 'It's so good to see you!'

'It's good to be back,' a slight smile touched her face and everyone murmured in appreciation.

'Lieutenant Kira's been doing a great job,' Haruko grinned at the embarrassed shinigami and then she punched his shoulder fiercely, 'He's just like a big, _goofy _brother I've known him so long,'

'How is that relevant?' someone else shouted out, but they were just having a good time, not being malicious at all.

Laughter followed some of the other comments that flew around the group. Izuru was just happy to be amongst the Division members with his captain by his side. They had all missed her and now she was back.

'I'm so relieved!' one of the younger girl's in the Division ran forwards and hugged the captain, ignoring the gasp of shock that rippled around the group. Yuki herself was very uncomfortable with her situation, but she just touched the girl's head lightly once she released her and then continued a little further into the courtyard.

'We thought you were gonna leave us for a while there,' someone sighed, too relieved to be stoic.

'And go where?' Izuru retorted in a rather uncharacteristically friendly way, 'She belongs here, right?'

Despite everyone's surprise, there was a combined shout of, 'Yeah!'

Yuki noticed Abarai, Rukia, Ukitake, and a whole group of shinigami from other Divisions walking into the courtyard, smiles of their faces as they came over to greet her.

'Brilliant to see you back,' Ukitake smiled at her warmly, 'I know all about being sick in the Relief Station,'

'I got Shakkaho,' Renji stated the fact rather randomly when Yuki arrived before him.

'Once,' Rukia elbowed him as she walked over, 'Hey. It's good to see you,' she addressed Kanashimi with a smile.

'Likewise,' Yuki was slightly distracted, trying to sense an almost perfectly concealed reiatsu. Turning around, violet eyes searched the street that passed the Third Division. Then a sudden flash of white, black, and green made the captain blink.

Yuki watched Hitsugaya Toshiro as he walked away without looking back.

* * *

><p>Author's Note:<p>

A relatively happy chapter for a change . . .


	32. Chapter 32: Drowning in Guilt

_Chapter 32: Drowning in Guilt_

Two halves of a white sheet of paper drifted to the ground, ripped untidily down the middle. The person responsible for ruining the previously perfectly good sheet, was Hitsugaya Toshiro. Hitsugaya Toshiro picked up another page and repeated the process, hardy realising he did. Two halves of a white sheet of paper drifted to the ground, torn untidily down the centre, to join the steadily growing pile on the floor.

The captain of the Tenth Division hissed sightly as he cut his finger on one particularly affronted sheet, and crimson was splashed artfully across the sea of white. Paper covered the floor in a circle around the lone chair in the middle of the room. The desk was pushed against one wall, and the couches shoved a bit in the opposite direction. Hitsugaya Toshiro didn't even realise what he was doing.

_Your fault_.

Every white page hummed the words, just loud enough that the lone shinigami felt like he was drowning in the sound.

_Your fault_.

The white haired captain picked up another piece of paper and then let it drop, now in two pieces, to the ground.

_I know._

_I know._

_I know_.

Each half piece of paper represented a part of his guilt. Each blood stain represented his constant acknowledgement of the fact that it _was _his fault. And the only way he felt that he could repent, make all the pages go away, remove the droplets of blood that seeped into the pristine sheets . . . he didn't know.

_Your fault_.

_I know_.

_Your fault_.

_I know_.

_Your fault_.

_I KNOW!_

Hitsugaya Toshiro put his head in his hands. He didn't know what to do. Didn't know how to escape the guilt . . .

Outside the office there was a large crash.

. . . Didn't know how to escape his Lieutenant.

Standing, the young captain exited the room, feeling the paper shifting under his waraji, and tried to pull himself together enough to face Matsumoto.

* * *

><p>Rangiku waited outside the Tenth Division offices for her captain to emerge. She'd made a large enough commotion to bring him out, surely. Ever since the day before, when Captain Kanashimi had woken up, the Seireitei was really buzzing. Everyone was excited and working towards a <em>big<em> party. She knew that Kanashimi herself couldn't work out why such a big fuss was necessary, but no one actually took much notice of the Third Division captain's wishes. They were all just overwhelmed with their own emotions.

'Captain!' the Lieutenant yelled out with all her might. Their Division had been put in charge of making the Seireitei beautiful. Snow was expected any time soon, and because of the captain's zanpakuto, the Tenth Division was usually in charge of making sure the ice wasn't too slippery, or the trees weren't too snow laden. Sculptures and such things were also required by other Divisions in order for them to fulfil their own orders. However, until it _did _snow, all they had to do was help out any other Divisions who asked for assistance.

As she waited for the white haired captain to emerge from his office, Rangiku wondered which Division was in charge of the fireworks this time. She'd always wanted to help out with fireworks.

'Matsumoto,'

When the woman looked up, she was sure she saw a kido light fading from her captain's hand, and she wondered if he'd been injured somehow, 'Yes?'

'What's the matter?'

Despite the chaos she'd created, the way she'd shouted out, and the lazy way she stood there now, Captain Hitsugaya's voice was completely calm and even.

'I just wanted to tell you that we're in charge of making the Seireitei beautiful when it snows,' Rangiku was confused, but it didn't dampen her usually cheeky enthusiasm, 'And, until it does snow, I was thinking about helping Hisagi with the fireworks,'

Her tone should have suggested that letting her help with _fireworks_, of all things, was the worst possible idea, but the captain just nodded, then he paused, 'What's all this for?' he didn't think it was New Year's yet.

The Lieutenant was staring open mouthed at the short shinigami, 'What?' she was dumbstruck, 'Where have you been?' raising her hands in horror, Rangiku jumped at her captain, shaking him, 'It's a party for Captain Kanashimi!' seeing the blank look on his face, she added, knowing him too well, 'And no! It's not New Year's yet!' turning around, she began pacing, 'It's a party. A _party_. A _big party_. And we've got to complete out orders,'

'I'll leave you in charge until it snows then,' before Matsumoto could react, the white haired captain had vanished back into the office building.

Staring after him, Rangiku was shocked. She'd just been handed authority without having to beg for _weeks_, no, _months_? What was going on now?

* * *

><p>He couldn't sleep. The steady rhythm of pounding guilt was beginning to wear away at his head from the inside, he was sure of it. Lying in the office on one of the couches, staring at the ceiling, the captain tried to empty his thoughts.<p>

Memories, ones that weren't his, flashed through his mind, fading slightly with each repetition. _Her _memories. And soon he felt that they'd sink into his unconscious mind and stop plaguing him. It could be because the kido had really ended now, or it could be just because he hadn't been anywhere near the other captain since she'd been unconscious. Soon the images and scenes would become real memories, not things that clawed constantly at your waking mind.

Everyone had been so happy. The scheduled party was a sign of how excited and enthusiastic they all were.

_Why wasn't he feeling like that?_

All the young captain felt was the overpowering guilt, and a pressing feeling of depression. Sure she was okay now, but what if she'd never woken up? Would everyone have blamed him? They should have.

Turning over, dull turquoise eyes fell on the lightly fluttering mass of white paper. The image of black ink seeping into the clean page flashed across his mind.

Hitsugaya Toshiro silently cursed himself as the night went on.

* * *

><p>'And then, and then-,' Izuru was having a hard time forming coherent sentences due to the amount of sake he'd consumed in the last hour, 'And then-,'<p>

As her Lieutenant tried to recall what he'd been about to say, Yuki turned her attention to the others sitting around the table. Rukia had dragged Abarai along, despite the fact that the petite shinigami didn't drink herself, and now the two of them appeared to be fighting about something. Hisagi was, once again, already passed out, and Madarame looked in danger of stepping on the unconscious Lieutenant.

The captain of the Third Division didn't know exactly _who _had organised this drinking party, but she had a pretty good guess. Still, Matsumoto wasn't here yet so she couldn't ask the woman.

Thinking of Matsumoto made her think about the Lieutenant's captain. She was glad that he seemed to still have his working mind with him, but still, she was sure she felt flashes of her own most feared thoughts within his reiatsu. Wondering how that would be possible, and now quite concerned, the captain didn't notice Matsumoto sneaking up to attack.

However, Yuki sensed the woman at the last moment and dodged, letting the strawberry blonde fly across the table. Once Rangiku had recovered, she returned to Kanashimi's side.

'Hello!' she was cooing in a paternal way, 'It's good to see you again,'

'Is something the matter?' Yuki thought she saw something out of place in the Lieutenant's eyes, but, once again with her limited social knowledge, she couldn't pick what it was. As she noticed that, she realised that it was very slightly easier to talk to the woman, and wondered if it would be the same with everyone. She still needed to think about her words, and couldn't express herself immediately, but she wasn't as short as before. It was the smallest, almost unnoticeable improvement.

Rangiku sighed deeply, sitting down at the same time as calming down, 'The captain,'

Yuki blinked, 'Pardon?'

'My captain,' the woman now looked very troubled, her hands knotted together in an uncharacteristic way, 'He's been in his office for the same amount of time as you've been out of the Relief Station. I don't know what to do,'

As Rangiku finished speaking, the violet eyes of a certain shinigami narrowed.

* * *

><p>Author's Note:<p>

New Year's . . . really Toshiro? And I will continue wondering just what Izuru was trying to say . . .


	33. Chapter 33: First Conclusion

_Chapter 33: First Conclusion_

Yuki raced through the Seireitei, jumping from rooftop to rooftop, waraji hardly making contact with the tiles. Lavender eyes were clearly visible as the wind swept back her fringe and the shorter parts of her hair that usually hung around her face. Her right hand was clenched on the hilt of her zanpakuto, and her whole body was thrumming with tension.

_To, _her thoughts were harsh, contrasting to the early morning sunlight, _The Tenth Division._

* * *

><p>Hitsugaya Toshiro was sitting on his chair, methodically halving page after page of white paper. His logical mind was saying that it was a real waste, but the actual part of his head that currently had control over his body was the part that was still listening to the rhythm of guilt that kept thudding away, drowning out anything else.<p>

Distantly he could sense Matsumoto's reiatsu as the bubbly woman moved through the Seireitei, but he didn't bother wondering what she was destroying now.

Another paper cut made him flinch slightly and he watched as the red droplets ran down his finger on splattered onto the paper below. It was oddly mesmerising and he didn't try to heal himself.

The young captain only came back to reality when he sensed a barrier form around his office.

* * *

><p>Striding into the Tenth Division, completely hiding her reiatsu and staying unseen with ease, Yuki snapped her fingers, watching in satisfaction as a black kido barrier formed around the single room in front of her. She walked up into the offices and stopped at the door behind which she sensed a familiar cool reiatsu.<p>

_So, if my memories destroyed someone's mind, _violet eyes were dark and apprehensive, _No, I don't think that's what's wrong here._

Taking a sharp inward breath, the captain placed her hand on the door.

* * *

><p>The captain of the Tenth Division looked up when he sensed a presence he recognised immediately, right outside his door. The kido barrier made sense all of a sudden, and now he was feeling extremely nervous. The guilt hammered at his head as he tried to work out what he needed to say.<p>

The door slammed open and Kanashimi Yuki stood in the gap. Her long fringe covered the top half of her eyes, and she looked pale, as if she was still a bit unwell.

'Shatter,' the Third Division captain drew her zanpakuto in one swift movement, slashing the air in front of her body, 'Kuro-kyō Shinu Meikin,'

The white haired shinigami watched as the katana's cutting edge turned a highly reflective, but dark, silver, and the hilt and tsuba went completely black. The tsuba then changed into a hollow circle, filled with an intricate oriental lattice design, and a fine chain formed from the pommel. He thought the blade extended slightly in length, but then his attention was captivated by something else.

Icy air rushed from Kanashimi as she walked into the room, and then a few black feathers burst from the zanpakuto, mingling with the paper that was swept up in the wintry breeze. The pages spun through the air, some tinted crimson from his blood.

As the white sheets began fluttering slowly to the ground, Yuki pointed the tip of her blade at the other captain, still sitting on the chair in the middle of the room.

Toshiro's mind was trying to process the inrush of information. The paper, the feathers, the katana, the shinigami . . . the whole thing created a deadly beautiful and breathtakingly dramatic picture.

'What are you doing?' Yuki spoke coolly, a certain distance created by her tone.

'I could ask the same of you,' Toshiro tried to focus on what she was saying, but the disintegrating feathers, and falling paper kept distracting him.

Taking a few more steps forward, Yuki swallowed her hesitation, and, when she spoke again, her tone was sad, 'Hitsugaya,' the tip of her zanpakuto touched his chest, 'Matsumoto's worried about you,' the katana suddenly sealed again and its wielder turned and swept from the room, 'Cliffs at Junrinan,'

The white haired captain caught the last piece of paper as it fell, and turquoise eyes half closed as he saw the black ink that had seeped into the white.

He knew he was going to go to the Rukongai. And he would apologise then.

_Kanashimi, _the slightest bit of amusement touched his mental voice, _That was quite surprising._

* * *

><p>Arriving in Junrinan, Toshiro approached the cliffs hesitantly, the heavy guilt beginning to weigh on him again. He almost turned and left when he saw Kanashimi standing right at the edge of the precipice, but then she shifted slightly and he knew she'd sensed his approach.<p>

'I'm sorry,'

Toshiro stopped a few steps behind her, so surprised that he couldn't speak.

_Why is she saying _she's _sorry?_ he thought in confusion, _I'm the one who's supposed to be sorry._

'Why?' he finally found his voice, but he was still so shocked that he sat down immediately.

Kanashimi paused a second before taking a couple of steps back from the edge and sitting too, 'For letting my darker memories into your mind,'

'Oh,' Toshiro trailed off, the image of the other captain dying surfacing in his head, he flinched before continuing, 'Well I'm sorry that I touched your kido,'

'Taking back that wave of emotions and memories was the best I could do to prevent the destruction of your mind,' she sounded sorrowful again, then she shook her head, 'Anyway, you should be more sorry for not visiting sooner, '

The first thing Toshiro thought was 'oh, she sensed when I was there those times', and then he actually worked out what she'd said. Now frozen solid in shock, the young captain tried to work out what Kanashimi meant.

'What?' was all he managed to produce after a good few minutes of silence.

Kanashimi glanced at him, mild amusement in her violet eyes, 'You have a similar reiatsu to me, although the colours are different,' she paused before continuing, 'When I placed a barrier on the memories for the second time, I used all the reiatsu I don't seal. Being near someone with a similar reiatsu helped in the restoration of mine,'

Yuki didn't say that, during the days where she had relived her death again and again, his quiet presence in the room where her body had lain had been of great comfort. Something that said she hadn't been forgotten. This person . . . was the one she had wanted to speak to if she ever woke up again.

'Why did you release your zanpakuto?' Toshiro was most curious about that matter.

'In a memory, when I first gained the Shikai release, there was paper everywhere,' her tone was distant, 'I suppose, since I've been seeing a lot of memories lately, I just felt that I was reliving that scene again,'

'Your memories-,' Toshiro broke off, unsure of how to continue, he glanced at the black haired shinigami.

'Yes?' she was slightly curious about what he had to say, and slightly fearful.

Sensing her concern, the other captain quickly worked out the best way to say what he felt he needed to, 'Are they fading for you too?'

'They are, just a bit,' her voice was dark and pained again, 'But the fear won't ever go away,'

'Oh,' now feeling very awkward, Toshiro just fell silent.

'Don't worry,' Yuki surprised herself, and the white haired captain too, by smiling properly, the movement lightening her dark expression, 'I'll be alright,'

Toshiro averted his gaze, trying not to stare, and then he sighed self-consciously, 'Good,'

Turning to the cliff again, the captain of the Third Division moved right up to the edge, peering over, a peaceful expression, marred only by the slightest sorrow, forming on her face. Her violet eyes were glowing with her amusement as she flicked a few rocks off the edge, watching as they fell.

A strangely comfortable silence descended on the pair.

Toshiro just sat and alternated between watching the sky, and the other captain, his thoughts drifting. And Yuki just enjoyed the slight breeze and the steep drop before her.

Such a peaceful scene.

* * *

><p>A short while later, Yuki leaned back, sitting cross legged at the edge of the cliff instead of being half over it, and sighed. A smile was playing at her lips and she found it hard to suppress. Behind her, Toshiro moved suddenly and violet eyes blinked.<p>

As the sounds of a haori fluttering in the wind pierced the quiet, the white haired captain spoke, 'Yuki,'

Hearing her first name, the captain turned, standing as she did so, hair catching the wind and tilted her head questioningly, surprised and wary. The last time anyone had really called her by her first name . . . it was Saki. And, before that, the members of the Harukaze family. Dark, sorrowful memories.

Eyes sparkling, he vanished from where he'd been standing, appearing before the tense shinigami captain.

Lavender met turquoise.

'T-toshiro,' the word was barely out of Yuki's lips before a certain white haired captain kissed her.

* * *

><p>Author's Note:<p>

And so ends Part I of _Black Ink shades a White Page_. I do hope you enjoyed!

Part II, which will be added as additional chapters to this story, is going to follow up the cloud disturbances over Karakura Town, and make clear a few more things about Kanashimi Yuki.

To anyone who would be kind enough to continue reading this story, thank you.


	34. Part II: Premonition

**Black Ink shades a White Page II**

* * *

><p><em>In these times of peace,<em>

_How easy it is,_

_To continue looking forwards,_

_Without turning,_

_And miss the danger behind._

* * *

><p><em>Or if someone chances to turn around,<em>

_And see the darkness waiting,_

_How easy it would be,_

_To turn back,_

_And to ignore the danger behind._

* * *

><p><em>And if one saw the danger,<em>

_Sensed the darkness building,_

_And did not hide from the pain,_

_What terrible price,_

_Might have to be paid?_


	35. Chapter 1: Preparations

_Chapter 1: Preparations_

'Yoo-hoo!' Matsumoto waltzed into the office building of the Tenth Division, flicking back her strawberry blonde hair dramatically, 'Captain?'

The woman was slightly suspicious. The day before, she'd come into her captain's office, noting the remains of a barrier around the room, and found the whole place in a huge mess. Ripped paper had been covering almost every surface, some sheets stained with blood, and others with black ink, and the furniture had all been pushed away, bar a single chair. It was like some paper filled bomb had gone off and the office had been turned into a warzone of sorts.

Later on, around mid-afternoon, the captain had appeared back in his office, which was completely spotless, and acted like nothing had happened at all.

Rangiku wasn't exactly bothered by her captain's behaviour, she just needed to find him to tell him the weather forecast from the Twelfth Division.

'Yes, Matsumoto,' Hitsugaya Toshiro walked along the corridor, stopping behind his Lieutenant with a sigh, 'What is it this time?'

Feigning insult, the woman spun around and grasped her captain's shoulders, smiling suddenly, she dragged him into his office and then slumped onto one of the couches, 'The weather report from the Twelfth Division,'

'What about it?' sitting down at his desk, the white haired shinigami took out a clean report and picked up his brush, turquoise eyes flicking to the black ink as it seeped into the fine bristles.

'Snow is expected _soon_,' the woman imitated the harsh voice of Kurotsuchi Mayuri, captain of the Twelfth Division, 'Frost should start forming tonight,'

'I see,' nodding, Toshiro began to fill out his form, 'Did you finish helping Hisagi with those fireworks?'

He was glad that preparations for the party, one officially dedicated to the future strength of the Gotei 13, but also to Kanashimi Yuki, short time captain of the Third Division, seemed to be going well. It was going to be a huge celebration, one that might even rival the previous New Year's.

'Yep,' grinning wickedly, Rangiku added, 'Although I _accidentally _set one off and Hisagi got in trouble from Unohana,'

Rubbing his forehead in an effort to stop the oncoming twitch, Toshiro sighed very deeply, 'Matsumoto-,'

'See you Captain!' the Lieutenant rushed to the door, 'Shinigami Women's Association meeting if you're wondering!'

'That excuse is getting _too _old!' the white haired shinigami shouted right back at her, but he knew she was ignoring him. After all, occasionally there actually _was _actually an Association meeting going on.

As he turned back to work, Toshiro had to try hard to stay focused and not continually worry about what his Lieutenant could get up to while he wasn't watching.

* * *

><p>'Captain!' five squeals and one melancholy mutter greeted Kanashimi Yuki as she stepped from her office. Violet eyes immediately noted the five female shinigami, and her Lieutenant, Kira Izuru.<p>

'Yes?' her voice, slightly at odds with her delicate appearance, was questioning.

'We're waiting for orders on how to carry out the Third Division's contribution to the upcoming celebration,' Izuru gazed at his captain, his usual miserable expression light.

'I see,' walking out of the offices and into the courtyard, Yuki surveyed the waiting Division, 'As everyone knows, the Third Division has been tasked with providing decorations for the celebration,' she paused, 'Does anyone have any ideas?'

'We could dress you up and carry you around,' someone made a joke about her appearance, 'I'm sure it'd be a great hit!' he paused, 'Or maybe we should dress you down,'

Lavender eyes flashed and then the man keeled over, unconscious.

Yuki flicked her gaze back to the group, and continued as if nothing had just happened, 'Does anyone have any _sensible _ideas?'

'We could make origami decorations, and hanging paintings,' someone else called out.

'Traditional screens!'

'Edible decorations!'

'Calligraphy!'

At the last shout, everyone fell dead silent, staring at the speaker in shock.

'I believe the Sixth Division is in charge of calligraphy,' someone managed to say, while trying not to break out in a cold sweat.

'That's right,' a few more shinigami nodded, all looking nervous, as if Captain Kuchiki was about to spring out and attack them.

'How about paper lanterns?' Izuru had always liked the bright, thin lanterns, and he was also trying to distract everyone.

'Sounds good,' Yuki nodded and then directed her next orders to the group, 'Let's go everyone, we've got a lot of work to do,'

The captain knew that the Third Division hadn't been given as much work as the other Divisions, as this party had somehow also been dedicated to her. Not just because she was relatively new to the Gotei 13, and the fact that she was a captain, but also because she'd scared everyone when she'd been unconscious for a considerable amount of time, due to her having to relive her memories.

Still, she took her duties seriously, and if making paper lanterns was one of them, then she'd just have to deal with it.

* * *

><p>Matsumoto walked into Hitsugaya's office, singing loudly, and then she realised that the captain was asleep at his desk. Smiling fondly, she went over and sat on the couch, taking out a magazine from the World of the Living.<p>

_When our two worlds collided,_

_I found a part of me,_

_That I didn't realise I was missing._

_You are the meaning,_

_To my life._

The words echoed inside Toshiro's mind and he shifted slightly, unfinished report crumpling beneath his head. He _had _been thinking about what type of ice sculptures he wanted to get his Division to make, once they'd finished making sure everything was orderly in the Seireitei, in regards to snow and ice, but he could hardly concentrate. All night that same phrase had beaten out a gentle rhythm in his mind, consuming and disrupting his unconscious thoughts.

_If Matsumoto knew_, he thought in mild amusement, coming out of his sleeping state but remaining in the same position, _I'd never hear the end of it._

Sitting up, the white haired captain discarded the newly ruined report and turned to his Lieutenant, not surprised at all that she was slacking off. Again.

'Matsumoto!' the shout was loud enough to make quite a few people in the nearby vicinity jump.

'Yes captain?' leaping to her feet and stuffing the magazine down her front, Matsumoto tried to look innocent, 'Is there something you need?'

'What do you think you're doing?' Toshiro crossed his arms, walking out from behind his desk and stopping before the woman.

'Going to a-,' she began cheerfully.

Her captain cut her off, 'Shinigami Women's Association meeting, yes, I can tell,'

'Good,' grinning, the Lieutenant straightened her pink scarf and strode from the room without any hesitation.

Sighing deeply, the thought that she'd probably see Kanashimi at the meeting passed into his mind and Toshiro smacked his head in annoyance.

* * *

><p>'Captain Kanashimi!' Hinamori Momo and Ise Nanao, Lieutenants of the Fifth and Eighth Divisions respectively, called out, 'Are you coming to the meeting?'<p>

Yuki, having sensed their approach, turned slowly, trying to think up an excuse, 'Maybe,'

'Okay, let's go then,' completely ignoring what she'd actually said, both shinigami grasped one of her arms and escorted the captain away.

As they walked towards the Kuchiki Estate, Yuki noticed the amount of sakura petals in the air was steadily increasing. It seemed odd, since it was the wrong season, but she suddenly remembered that Kuchiki Byakuya, captain of the Sixth Division, was in charge of making the cherry blossom trees 'nice' as well as making calligraphy sheets.

'In here,' Kurotsuchi Nemu, Twelfth Division Lieutenant, suddenly appeared in a hidden doorway in the wall of the Kuchiki manor opened. Nanao directed Momo and Kanashimi inside, and then the door slid shut.

'Oh, Captain Kanashimi,' Rukia, Byakuya's younger sister, or sister-in-law, looked up with a smile, 'Nice to see you again,'

Yuki found herself thinking that everyone's behaviour was slightly strange, considering she'd seen almost everyone the day before, but it wasn't entirely suspicious. So she just nodded and looked about for somewhere to sit. Violet eyes finding not a single piece of furniture, she moved over to one wall and sat down, leaning against it.

Rangiku suddenly appeared at her side and the captain prepared for a long rant that would leave her ears ringing. The Lieutenant paused, eyes studying Kanashimi carefully, as if making sure she was really okay.

Ever since the incident where both Kanashimi and Hitsugaya had been unconscious, albeit for different amounts of time, Matsumoto had made it her job to check on the Third Division captain. She was certain that the young woman was her captain's friend, and, as such, she became Rangiku's business. Still, she hadn't been able to do that much, considering the fact that Kanashimi had only been awake for a couple of days, but she wasn't deterred.

'How are you?' the question was abrupt.

'Matsumoto,' Yuki's tone was even but her eyes were dangerous, 'Making me part of your personal business is _not _a good idea,' a faint black glow began emanating from her pale fingers, 'Kido can be used for so many more things than you know,'

'Eek!' Rangiku jumped backwards, definitely deciding to remove the captain from her daily routine, but she soon recovered and slunk back over, 'Hey-,'

The look on Yuki's face was priceless and Matsumoto found herself giggling.

Sitting down on the floor in an orderly manner, the woman directed her pale blue gaze at Kanashimi once more, 'How's your Division coping with preparations?'

'Fine,' the answer was short.

'The Tenth Division hasn't had any real work to do yet,' Rangiku sighed as if that fact actually bothered her, 'We're just waiting for it to snow,' she paused, laughing again, 'But the captain's doing more sleeping than working,'

Yuki hid her amusement perfectly, trying to keep her mind from wandering to the captain of the Tenth Division. It was a vexing situation, to say the least.

'Really?' Momo hurried over, concerned about the shinigami who she considered as a brother, 'I'll have to talk to him about that! Normally he's a really good worker,' she sounded almost like an old woman for a second, 'Maybe something's on his mind,'

Matsumoto laughed wholeheartedly, 'Yeah, sleeping,'

'That's not true!' Momo retorted angrily, trying to defend her childhood friend, 'I'm sure it's something really important to him,'

As the pair continued to bicker, Yuki concealed her slight smile and wandered away to sit somewhere quieter.

* * *

><p>Author's Note:<p>

And so the second part of this story officially begins . . . I hope it will be enjoyable


	36. Chapter 2: Reoccurrence of the Clouds

_Chapter 2: Reoccurrence of the Clouds _

'This meeting will now commence!' the Head Captain of the Gotei 13, Yamamoto, banged his staff, silence falling over the two lines of waiting shinigami.

'I will begin, please,' Kurotsuchi Mayuri, Twelfth Division captain, spoke in his harsh voice, he gestured wildly, almost knocking Hitsugaya out, and then he continued, 'Does anyone remember the cloud disturbances that occurred over Karakura Town a while ago?'

Kanashimi nodded, along with almost all of the other captains. The day before, a jigokucho had somehow managed to enter the Shinigami Women's Association hideout and she'd been alerted of this meeting. When she'd left, Matsumoto and Momo had still been arguing, the younger Lieutenant going so far as to accuse the older woman of 'being unnecessarily harsh on Shiro-chan even though she was just a lazy slob who relied on him to do all her work'.

'Of course,' Unohana was smiling sweetly at Mayuri, and everyone could practically see the sparks flying between them, 'Please do continue,'

'Oh I will,' baring his golden teeth fiercely, the other captain turned back to address all of the gathered shinigami, 'Now, I worked out a few things about why the clouds were moving so quickly over the Town. Firstly,' he held up a finger, 'The creatures responsible aren't shinigami, Hollows, or humans,'

Toshiro _had _to interrupt at this point. It was uncharacteristic of him, most definitely, but he couldn't resist. Yuki was the only one who sensed the slight change in the white haired captain's reiatsu, and she glanced at him quickly.

'May I interrupt?' Toshiro's turquoise eyes flicked to the Head Captain, briefly meeting Kanashimi's on the way, 'When we were in the World of the Living, Urahara said that same thing,'

'What?' Kurotsuchi looked purple behind his black and white make up, 'That man-,' he was absolutely livid.

'Silence please,' Yamamoto's eyes opened slightly, 'Captain Kurotsuchi, please continue,'

'Right,' shaking in fury, Mayuri tried to control himself, 'As I was saying,' he held up a second finger, 'The second thing is that a there was an attack on the Town last night,' a third finger joined the others, 'And the final thing is this,'

Everyone's eyes turned to the tiny vial the captain fished from his pocket. A misty grey substance swirled around inside it.

'What is that?' Soifon sounded deeply disturbed. The presence the vial was emitting was unlike any other the captain had encountered before.

'Reiatsu,' the Twelfth Division captain smiled menacingly again, 'When I mentioned the attack before, I didn't say that only a few buildings were destroyed and no one was injured. This reiatsu was gathered at the scene of the attack. It is the only surviving sample as all of the others just faded from inside the bottle. It's the material that this one is made of,' he waved the vial again, 'That keeps the reiatsu inside,' he trailed off but when no one asked what the material was, he huffed and continued, 'Sekki-Sekki,'

'Oh?' once again Unohana was smiling with absolute sweetness, 'And how long did it take you to work all of that out? After all, that mission was a while ago. I wonder how much information Urahara has gathered by now,'

Toshiro truly believed that the vial was going to shatter in the other captain's vice like grip, but it didn't, to his immense surprise.

'Histugaya, Kanashimi,' Yamamoto's voice rose over the sudden chaos of shouts and mutters, 'You will take that team and return to the World of the Living tomorrow,'

Unohana suddenly looked concerned, 'The celebrations?'

'Are in four days,' Kyoraku spoke lazily, as usual, 'Don't worry, they'll be back by then,' his eyes flicked to the Head Captain, 'The party _does _start on the Monday coming, right?'

'That is correct,' the old man spoke in a tired way, 'Now this meeting is dismissed,'

* * *

><p>'That's still not much information,' Toshiro sighed as he walked back towards the Tenth Division, 'The only useful bit is that there was an attack last night. But he didn't say where and the reiatsu would already be gone from the site,'<p>

'And he didn't mention the clouds again, or at least, not directly,' Yuki sounded troubled, more so than, perhaps, she should have been at this point, 'So what would we be looking for this time?'

'Who knows,' the white haired captain sighed as the path split and headed in opposite directions, 'See you at the Senkaimon tomorrow,'

'Right,' lavender eyes, hidden by an untidy fringe, were dark and wide. As Yuki walked away, she could almost sense a similar grey presence, just like the reiatsu in the vial, but she knew that it was hidden. She thought that the Soul Society would be where the attacks were going to be directed if it ever came to that.

_The clouds, _she thought as her Division came into view, _Pressure is moving the clouds. That pressure . . . _

* * *

><p>'We're going to the World of the Living?' Matsumoto was barely restraining herself from shouting and hugging her captain, 'Yay!'<p>

'Matsumoto,' turquoise eyes were icy cold, and the young captain's tone matched perfectly, 'The mission won't be a holiday,' he rubbed his head, 'Not this time,'

'Aww,' ignoring him entirely, Rangiku had gone back to reading her magazine, kicking her legs up onto the couch and sipping her sake.

_I'm glad she's coming, _glancing at his Lieutenant, Toshiro sighed deeply, _If I left her in charge her alone, then-,_ he paused, _I don't even want to think about it._

'Hey Captain,' sitting up suddenly, the look on Matsumoto's face suggested she'd just remembered something.

'Yes?' hoping that it wasn't going to give him a headache, Toshiro sat down at his desk.

'I think Hinamori wants to see you sometime,' Rangiku smiled cheerily, 'You know, she's developing a kind of fierce personality that she seems to bring out when I'm around,'

Straightening, Toshiro fixed the woman with a reprimanding stare, or maybe it was a glare, 'What were you arguing about this time?'

Giggling, the Lieutenant flapped a hand in front of her, 'You!' bursting into proper laughter, she continued, 'I said that you were sleeping instead of working, and then she got all worked up!' trying not to double over in agony as more laughter racked her frame, Rangiku added, 'She's so cute!'

'Really?' trying to block the loud sounds out, Toshiro stared hard at the blank page before him, trying to work out what he'd been about to write. The paper itself wasn't revealing any secrets, so the white haired captain sighed and cast about for something that would help him remember.

A violent flinch, something that went entirely unnoticed by Matsumoto, shook Toshiro's frame and his eyes widened.

As he stared at the wood of his desk, he thought he could see blood splattered everywhere and hear short, ragged gasps of pain. The white page began to turn a deep crimson as the liquid seeped into it. Black characters began to form on the wet red, and the words were the ones that played in his head. Those words. That meaning they held. The blood suddenly swallowed up the black, leaving no trace of Toshiro's _meaning_, no trace of what made his life complete. Supposedly, anyway.

Shaking uncontrollably, the white haired captain stood and left his office wordlessly, completely ignorant of Matsumoto's cry of protest as the woman watched him leave.

* * *

><p>'Don't get hurt,' Izuru knew he sounded way too protective, especially since this was his <em>captain<em>, but he'd become so close to her that worrying over her health and safety just became part of his daily life, 'Make sure you eat, sleep, _rest_,'

Unlike with Matsumoto, Yuki let the man fuss, knowing that it was pointless to try and stop him, because he'd just go and vent his concerns to an inanimate object and then, quite possibly, he'd fall in the eyes of the Division. The Lieutenant was an anxious person, but he could lead the shinigami under herself, and him, with great skill. Most of them respected him, to a certain degree, but it needed to _stay _that way.

'Thank you Kira,' keeping the sigh from her tone with easy dexterity, the captain glanced at the man who was sitting at his desk, off to one side of her office.

'And!' he declared the word loudly and rather abruptly, before continuing in his normal tone, 'Make sure you come back soon,' then he nodded matter of factly.

'Yes, Kira,' the faintest hint of a smile pulled at Yuki's mouth, 'You stay in good health too,'

'Oh, yes, of course, I will! I _WILL_!' after he spoke, the Lieutenant immediately regretted it and his cheeks flushed with embarrassment. He didn't need people to make him look bad, he could do that quite fine by himself.

Glancing guiltily, and self-consciously, at his captain, Izuru didn't miss the humour in her violet eyes, although it was obvious she was trying hard to hide it, probably in an attempt to help him salvage his remaining pride. Relaxing again, the whole even suddenly became very comical and, before he knew it, the usually despondent shinigami was laughing hard, tears streaming from his eyes. Being unaccustomed to such an action, it wasn't long before his stomach was aching, and he looked very unstable on his chair, having already knocked the desk away slightly, sending ink and paper spilling everywhere.

The Lieutenant really couldn't believe how hard he had to try sometimes, not to laugh while in the presence of his captain. Somehow the cool, serious, and sometimes even melancholy shinigami had the strangest, and very rare, ability to make him chuckle at odd times.

'S-sorry,' he could hardly breathe, and seeing Kanashimi's slightly concerned expression only set him off again.

Consequently, when Hitsugaya Toshiro landed on the roof of the Third Division offices, the first thing he heard was the uncharacteristic sound of Kira Izuru's breathless laughter.

* * *

><p>Author's Note:<p>

So, a follow up of the Karakura Town clouds . . . and Izuru, well . . .


	37. Chapter 3: Hospital in the Human World

_Chapter 3: Hospital in the Human World_

Kurosaki Ichigo was trying hard not to break something. Like Yasutora Sado and Ishida Uryu, he was strung tight on tension, and the waiting wasn't helping.

'Dammit,' the orange haired substitute shinigami wished that someone was here, someone who would beat him up without reservation and then tell him to get over his problems, and to begin facing them. Someone like Kuchiki Rukia.

The petite shinigami hadn't come to Karakura Town since the mission with Toshiro and the others. He knew that he wasn't the only one who had noticed her absence, because lying to his family each day was just getting tiring. They all wanted to know where she'd gone _this time_, even the usually cynical Karin.

'Look there,' Uryu seemed glad to have something to say. He wasn't just tense for the obvious reason. The quick thinking Quincy was also worried about the sudden reoccurrence of the swift cloud changes in the sky above Karakura Town.

'Ichigo,' Rukia dropped from the Senkaimon, landing before he friend. Indigo eyes noted the set looks on the faces of the three people standing in the clearing with her. She was about to ask what was wrong when Abarai Renji, Lieutenant of the Sixth Division, jumped down beside her.

There was a pause, and then a muffled _thud_ as Ichigo's fist connected with Renji's jaw.

'What the hell was that for?' the red headed shinigami leapt backwards, one hand flying to his face, eyes narrowed and furious. Not to mention confused and surprised.

'Ichigo!' Rukia spoke reproachfully, glaring at the orange haired teenager, 'What are you doing?'

There was no response, but suddenly Ichigo and Renji were engaged in a fierce, and entirely random, fist fight.

'What's all the excitement about?' Ikkaku and Yumichika looked tired. They were obviously expecting not to find any good fights again this time. When the bald Third Seat noticed the scuffle, he just laughed and then wandered off, Yumichika waving goodbye to Toshiro, who was still waiting in the Senkaimon, trying to calm down.

As the others leapt down and the gate closed, Rukia snapped, her hands clenching and her eyes narrowing dangerously.

'All right!' she was yelling her lungs out and the sound was deafening, 'That's it!' with surprising strength, she grasped the shoulders of the two men, and yanked them apart, 'Get a grip on yourselves!'

Renji went limp first, muttering apologies as he rubbed his new bruises. Ichigo, however, had to be slapped about by Rukia for some minutes until he too gave into defeat.

Kneeling on the ground, Ichigo couldn't help but feel glad that Rukia was here. Soon she'd understand what had happened to cause everyone's tension, and she'd have a solution.

'Are you all finished?' Toshiro's tone was wintry as the white haired captain approached. The frown on his face was fierce, and the air around the group was steadily getting cooler.

'Yes, sorry,' for once, Ichigo didn't try to call Hitsugaya by name, he just skipped that bit. It seemed a little too dangerous to even contemplate such an action.

As Matsumoto joined in the conversation that her captain was having with that group, Kanashimi turned to watch Ishida staring at the sky. Chad, or Sado, walked over to try and calm the others down, as they were getting a bit too wound up again.

'How long?' Uryu jumped when he realised that the captain, Kanashimi Yuki if he remembered correctly, had appeared beside him, talking.

'How long what?'

'The clouds,' Yuki was neither in the depths of her social knowledge, nor out of it. She kept her occasionally unnerving violet gaze on the sky.

'About two days now,' Uryu pushed up his glasses, 'But nothing had been happening for a while,'

'I see,' the troubled tone in the captain's voice made the Quincy blink. He had the feeling that she knew more than she let on, half the time.

However, before he could ask anything about it, Rukia gave a particularly piercing yell, and the Third Division captain and Quincy moved back over to the group.

'Where's Orihime?' Rukia had, obviously, only shouted to get everyone's attention.

'Orihime?' Matsumoto looked about as if the girl would just spring from behind a tree, laughing self-consciously as she usually did.

Ichigo spoke levelly, but there was a dark anger in his eyes, the same burn that shone whenever one of his friends or family were hurt, 'In hospital,'

'Hospital?' Rukia was alarmed, 'Why?'

'Inoue was attacked this morning. We don't know who did it,' in the midday sunlight, Uryu looked deathly pale for some reason, the light reflecting off his glasses.

'Can we go to her?' Rangiku was now quite concerned, 'Please?'

'Yeah,' Ichigo sighed, 'Let's go,'

* * *

><p>'Just turn right at the end of that corridor and the door should be on you left,' the nurse's reply was abrupt, and she hurried onwards after she'd spoken.<p>

'Should be?' Renji was amused despite himself, 'It shouldn't be a _should be_,'

'Shut up,' Ichigo was glad that everyone else was coming. It was too strange visiting Inoue when it was only just him, Uryu, and Chad.

'This is the one,' pushing past Ichigo with little concern, Rukia opened the door. Stepping inside, everyone heard the shinigami's audible gasp.

'Have you seen her yet?' her voice shook ever so slightly.

'No,' Chad answered as the other two looked like they were on a different planet.

'Don't-,' Rukia paused, then continued a little breathlessly, 'Don't freak out,'

Holding their own breaths, the rest of the group filed into the semi-dark room. There was a single bed, and on that bed was a single girl. Inoue Orihime.

'Orihime,' Rangiku had to sit down, 'Dear me,'

Renji and Chad were silent, just watching as Rukia touched Orihime's limp hand. Ichigo stood off to one side of the bed, a frown etched onto his face, his brown eyes dark. Toshiro stood behind Kanashimi, a short way into the room from the door.

'Who did this to you?' taking back her hand just in case she crushed the unconscious teenager's, Rukia sat back, indigo eyes wide.

'We don't know,' Uryu's voice was tight as he moved over to one of the windows, pulling back the curtains slightly. He found it easier to look at the sky, instead of his friend's body.

Inoue Orihime looked like she was dead. Her auburn hair had no lustre, her skin was a pale grey looking colour, and she was limp. There were bruises up her arms, some around her neck, and no one wanted to think about what her legs might look like.

Kido light flickered into existence as Rukia pressed her hands to Orihime's chest, eyes filled with determination. Human doctors would have a hard time treating such wounds, the best thing they could really do was let her rest.

'Not good enough,' the indigo eyes shinigami growled softly, 'Not good enough,'

Yuki sensed the grey reiatsu in the air, could almost taste the ash, smell the blood. There wasn't any doubt that Inoue had been attacked by the same creature whose reiatsu Kurotsuchi had collected. Lavender darkened to a shade almost black as she tried to identify the reiatsu. Tried to work out what type of being had such a spiritual pressure. She had the terrible thought in her mind, that she _knew_, that she had already encountered these beings. But that wasn't right, surely such an ominous reiatsu would remain in her memory forever.

Her reiatsu began pulsing inside the seal, running along her veins, just under her skin. The blackness called for blood, screamed for pain, and begged hopelessly for tragedy. It was the torrent of sorrow that she had to keep inside her, no matter what.

Ice began forming on the ground, some white, some black, and Yuki staggered backwards slightly, hands rising to cover her face.

* * *

><p>Toshiro was the only one to even notice that something was wrong with the Third Division captain. When she stepped backwards, frost forming under her shoe, he took a few paces forward, one hand touching her back, stabilising her.<p>

'Are you okay?' his voice was low enough not to be heard by the others either.

Straightening and lowering her arms, Yuki nodded, shaking her head straight after. Before anyone else could react, the captain appeared beside Orihime's bed.

'Kuchiki,' Rukia looked up when she heard her name, 'Give it your all,'

Two kido lights now seeped into Orihime's body. As the time progressed and little happened except a fading in the bruises, Yuki's hands began to glow with a black light.

The effect of the dark kido was instant as the marks on Inoue's skin vanished and she took a long, shuddering breath, a change from the previous short, gasping ones.

Everyone gasped as Orihime sat up, coughing slightly, and opened her eyes.

'Orihime?' Rukia sounded disbelieving, her gaze so fixed on her friend that she didn't notice what Kanashimi was doing.

'What's wrong?' the teenager was as cheerful as ever, then, looking around, she asked, 'Where am I?'

'Hospital,' Ichigo and Uryu answered at the same time, and the pair glared fiercely at each other.

'Oh,' she still sounded happy, 'Really?'

'Yes,' Rukia took her hand, 'Orihime, what attacked you?'

'Attacked me?' shaking her head, Inoue laughed, 'No, no, no, you've got it all wrong!' she held up her hands as if in surrender, 'This is my fault! I fell down the stairs,' she sounded embarrassed, 'I'm so clumsy,'

'What?' almost everyone said the word, tones absolutely disbelieving, 'You can't be serious,'

'Why?' she seemed genuinely confused.

'You were attacked, Inoue,' Ichigo sounded shocked, but his expression didn't change, 'Attacked. We heard you'd been taken to hospital and then, when Urahara said that the team of shinigami was returning, we skipped school and went to meet them,'

'What makes you think I was attacked?' she didn't sound like she believed that part of the story.

'Your injuries,' Rangiku was about to continue when she realised they had no evidence of the bruises, so obviously _not _created by stairs.

'Don't worry yourselves,' Orihime smiled, trying to be convincing, 'I'm okay now,'

'She truly believes that, it's not some kind of trick,' Uryu spoke as if the teenager wasn't in the same room, 'Does anyone disagree?'

No one spoke, they just shook their heads.

A doctor came in and spoke to the group, saying that Inoue would be able to return home tomorrow, and everyone's attention turned to him.

Due to the distraction, no one noticed when Yuki pierced her wrist with her nail, and a wisp of grey reiatsu flowed into her veins.

* * *

><p>Author's Note:<p>

Even if she completely believes that . . . the best thing Orihime could come up with was stairs?


	38. Chapter 4: Unasked Questions

_Chapter 4: Unasked Questions_

Ichigo thought his bedroom was definitely not made for seven people, not including himself. However, after the hospital visit, everyone had come back to the Kurosaki house, and they were currently sprawled around Ichigo's room.

_Actually, not everyone is _sprawled, the orange haired teenager though as he noted the two captain standing, not lying on his bed, or swinging on his chair.

'Nee-san?' a whingey voice sounded seconds before Kon, mascot-mod-soul-in-stuffed-lion-plushy-form, burst from the cupboard and launched himself at Rukia. She pushed him away with ease, and, in his new flight path, the perverted toy realised that he was now on a direct route to Matsumoto's bosom.

Smoke was curling from Kon's mouth by the time the Lieutenant was finished with him.

'Now,' Rangiku smiled cheerily, 'Don't you all think we should talk about Orihime?'

'Yes,' Uryu sighed, 'She really doesn't remember that attack,'

'Has that memory been erased?' Rukia's tone was hollow, her concern for her friend throbbing away, steady as her pulse.

'I don't think there ever was a memory,' Ichigo nodded at Chad, considering his friend's words.

'How's that?' Renji was confused, looking at Chad upside down as he was lying on his back on Ichigo's bed.

'I don't know,' shaking his head, the teenager fell silent.

'Well,' Ichigo sighed, 'There's nothing we can do. Maybe when Inoue is released from hospital tomorrow we can ask her where she,' he rubbed his head, 'Fell down the stairs,'

'Sounds like a plan,' getting up, Renji jumped out the window, no doubt leaving for Urahara's.

'We should go, Captain,' Matsumoto's pale blue eyes flicked to Yuki, 'Are you coming too Captain Kanashimi?'

Yuki seemed very distant, obviously not hearing what the Lieutenant said. Her expression was tense, and there was a flickering deep in her eyes.

'I'll take that as a yes,' dragging both captains to the window, Rangiku grinned at Ichigo, 'See you tomorrow! Come round to Orihime's in the morning to greet her! And don't worry about school!'

'Uh, right,' the orange haired teenager stared at the woman as she disappeared, then he turned to Rukia, 'Are you planning to show yourself to my family this time?'

'Tomorrow,' she spoke dismissively, 'I'm going to bed now,'

And , climbing into his cupboard and slamming the door, the petite shinigami did just that.

* * *

><p>Toshiro had noticed that, during the time in Kurosaki's room, everyone had cast at least one glance Kanashimi's way. Like him, he supposed, they must have thought she knew something. After all, ever since the hospital, the intense expression she'd been wearing would have told anyone that she was figuring something out, or maybe she already had.<p>

Since Matsumoto was in the bathroom, presumably taking a bath, Toshiro found himself sitting on the couch, and staring at the ceiling. His thoughts were flicking between Inoue, and what had happened to her, and Kanashimi, and what she might know.

When the Third Division captain wandered back from inspecting the kitchen, having been quite surprised, and not exactly pleasantly, at the contents of Inoue's refrigerator, and sat on one of the chairs in the living room, Toshiro resolved to ask if she knew anything.

'Kanashimi,' at the sound of her name, the shinigami glanced at the other captain, Toshiro inhaled deeply, 'About the attack on Inoue, and the reiatsu, do you know something?'

Yuki considered the question, tilting her head to one side, and then she blinked, her voice deadpan, 'No,'

'You can tell me anything, right?' Toshiro sighed deeply, rubbing his head in mild exasperation.

Violet eyes half closed as the captain of the Third Division shook her head and smiled, 'I know,'

* * *

><p><em>Secrets hide inside your eyes,<em>

_But the mystery you hold,_

_Is forgotten._

_You shake your head and smile,_

_And I cannot ask you again._

Toshiro sat bolt upright, realising that he'd fallen asleep, and then he had to blink a few times to adjust to the new lighting.

_Another strange poem, _he sighed mentally, looking around the apartment, _I wonder if I'm going insane. Do insane people get hallucinations of blood and then read odd poems in their heads? So annoying._

'Captain,' Matsumoto waltzed in, smelling very strongly like roses, and leaned over the chair he was sitting on, 'Dinner's ready,'

'Don't tell me you tried to cook something,' shaking the troubling thoughts from his head, Toshiro glared at his Lieutenant instead. His stomach wasn't accustomed to everything out there in the world.

'No, no, no,' laughing, Rangiku grabbed her captain's arm and dragged him over the back of the couch, 'Captain Kanashimi went and bought some things from the store,'

'Oh,' relieved that the woman hadn't been cooking, as her tastes were remarkably similar to Inoue's, Toshiro followed her into the kitchen.

* * *

><p>As they ate, everything was strangely silent until Matsumoto burst into random laughter. Two pairs of eyes, one showing a much more withering look than the other, flicked to the Lieutenant's face.<p>

Toshiro wasn't going to ask what was wrong, but, when the woman didn't stop, he snapped, 'Are you going to share what's so funny, or will I have to kick you out?'

'Sorry,' snorting in an effort to stop chuckling, Rangiku banged on the table, making the cups and plates jump violently, 'It's just that,' again she was lost in her giggling, recovering after another short while, 'Just that-,'

'Shouldn't you be thinking about Inoue's situation right now instead of laughing about nothing?' Yuki's tone was cool, but she was amused.

'Yes,' strangely, Rangiku stopped all her loud noises and sat straight, a dead serious expression on her face, 'You're very right,'

Toshiro was freaked out. Either Kanashimi had used a kido on his Lieutenant, or the bubbly woman was just trying to be vexing. Both options were feasible and the white haired captain found himself unsure of which was true. Or which one he wanted to be true.

'So,' Yuki continued, gaze never straying from Matsumoto's face, 'What do you make of it?'

'I think it's horrible,' the way the woman declared it was very normal, but Toshiro was still uncertain.

'In what way?' the cool tone was almost enough to make Rangiku shiver. There wasn't any kido, or at least any she could feel, but there was something about Kanashimi that demanded some sort of understanding in return for the captain's very _presence_.

'Well, Orihime's such a sweet girl that she really doesn't deserve to be hurt,' getting rather worked up, Matsumoto opened her mouth again to begin a full speech, but she never got to make it.

'Matsumoto,' Toshiro's voice silenced his Lieutenant, sighing, the captain continued, 'Whether or not it's a terrible thing, the fact is that it happened. Now,' he glanced down at his bowl, 'As the shinigami who have been sent to the Human World in order to investigate the cloud disturbances, and now, I suppose, the attacks too, we have to figure out every detail. Your emotions hardly matter if human souls are at risk,'

'You're right, I'm sorry,' Rangiku nodded. This was one of those times that reminded her of the exact reason why Hitsugaya was a captain, despite his young age by shinigami standards.

'Well, worrying any more isn't going to do anyone any good,' standing, the woman gathered together the disposable containers and tidied away the plates, 'Orihime's coming back tomorrow so we can ask her more questions then. So now, I think we should all just _go to sleep_,'

* * *

><p>Lying on his back, strangely under a table again, with the screen that would allow them to communicate with the Soul Society if need be behind him, Toshiro sighed deeply. His unfocused eyes skimmed over the bottom of the table. He didn't know why he was there, he couldn't remember where exactly he'd initially fallen asleep, but it didn't really matter.<p>

Thoughts drifting, he recalled hearing Kira Izuru laughing the night before and his lips curled slightly upwards. It was such an unusual sound, so rare, and not unpleasant. Obviously the Lieutenant had come to relax a lot more around his new-ish captain, and had begun to show some other emotions apart from misery. Hearing that laughter had calmed him down enough that he could go back to his office and look at his desk without having a mental breakdown.

Once again, Toshiro's mind shifted to a new thought, restless despite the late hour.

_Our two worlds have collided,_

_I have found a part of me,_

_That I didn't realise I was missing._

_You are the meaning,_

_To my life._

The white haired captain couldn't help but sigh again, tapping his fingers over his forehead in an effort to drum out the vision of the words.

_It's happening more frequently, _he mused thoughtfully, _Does that mean I really am losing it? A break from strangeness would be nice, I think. Just maybe . . ._

* * *

><p>Author's Note:<p>

So, is Kanashimi telling the truth there . . . ? And, probably for the hundredth time . . . poor Toshiro


	39. Chapter 5: Orihime and Encounter

_Chapter 5: Orihime + Encounter_

A hammering on the apartment door woke Matsumoto, and she exited the room that she shared with her captain, just in time to see him open the door. Kanashimi stood leaning against one of the walls, her unnerving violet eyes tracking the four visitors as they walked into the main room of the apartment.

'Hey,' Ichigo glanced about, noting Inoue's absence, and then he slumped onto one of the couches. Rukia followed, shooting a glare at the orange haired teenager as she sat at the other end of the same couch. Uryu and Chad took their seats too, and Toshiro noted that everyone still seemed very tense.

There was a short silence, in which no one spoke and just stared at each other instead, then the sound of a taxi pulling up on the road below made them all jump.

'Orihime!' sensing the girl's presence immediately, Rukia led the charge outside.

'Oh! Hi everyone!' stepping out of the car, Orihime's surprise was clearly visible as she saw the group leaning over the balcony.

A sudden flash of black, grey and white made her blink, and then Kanashimi was landing before her, crouched, dark jacket fluttering in the breeze created by her descent. The captain stood and pressed a hand to the teenager's forehead, clearly oblivious to the fact that anyone could have just seen her jump off that balcony and land impossibly without injury.

'Wha-?' Orihime felt a coolness on her head and then she was released.

Up above, Toshiro was the only one to see the kido light, and notice that Kanashimi relaxed ever so slightly as she withdrew her hand.

* * *

><p>Once the Third Division had helped Orihime upstairs, everyone sat in her living room and hesitated, unsure of how to begin asking the questions that were buzzing in their heads.<p>

'So, what sales are on at the moment?' despite the withering looks she received, Matsumoto continued smiling broadly, 'Any good stores?'

'Oh yes,' relaxing immediately, the girl let the piece of burnt orange hair that she'd been tugging at nervously fall from her fingers, and then she began animatedly explaining everything to Rangiku.

'How's school been going?' Rukia knew it was a Saturday, but that didn't change the fact that there had been a week of school preceding it.

'Oh, quite fine,' Orihime was still grinning, 'Although we've actually got some tests coming up, and well-,'

'Dammit!' Bastards!' 'How unsightly!'

The door suddenly burst open and three shinigami staggered in, falling flat on their faces with loud groans.

'Ikkaku! Yumichika!' once again Ichigo was shouting without a good reason, 'Renji!'

'Shut up,' the red head's snap sounded more like a moan as the man tried to rise.

'Those . . . bastards,' Ikkaku rolled onto his back, breathe catching in his throat.

'How-,' Yumichika pushed himself up against a wall, 'Ugly,'

'What the hell happened to you lot?' Ichigo was concerned, but, if they hadn't known him, they would've just thought he was furious.

'Attacked,' using the door handle to pull himself up, Renji almost got to his feet before falling over again, crushing Ikkaku who was trying to rise as well, 'Oof,'

'Gerrof,' the bald man sounded muffled, and that was quite reasonable considering that his face was being squished into the ground.

'Sorry,' still not managing to get to his feet, Renji just rolled away again, a movement which coincidentally sent Yumichika crashing to the floor once more.

'Stop moving,' Kanashimi's tone was that of a superior, and all three of them froze, 'Inoue, Kuchiki, if you would assist in healing them,'

'Right,' both of them ran over and began to utilise their specific healing abilities.

'I can't see any injuries,' Ichigo slumped against a wall, the stress becoming too much for him to cope with, 'What's wrong with them?'

'We were attacked with these things with grey reiatsu on our way here,' Renji peered out from under Orihime's Soten Kisshun, 'Somehow, we didn't stand a chance,'

'Odd,' Uryu, who was still trying to maintain the fact that he hated shinigami, at the same time as be involved with their business, spoke shortly, 'I thought Seated Offices were supposed to be able to handle most attackers,'

'Shut up,' the words were spoken without much conviction as Ikkaku was trying to get away from Rukia's kido, thinking it something not to get involved in, and failing miserably, 'You don't have a clue what you're on about,'

'They had grey reiatsu,' Yumichika wrinkled his nose, 'It was horrible,'

'Grey reiatsu?' Toshiro's gaze flicked to Kanashimi's. In this group, only they currently knew about Kurotsuchi's discovery, and therefore, they were the only ones who could understand the significance of Yumichika's words.

'That's right,' Renji frowned darkly, an expression that almost made Orihime jump in alarm.

'What did they look like?' the white haired captain tried not to sound too concerned, knowing that there were quite a few people in this room who were adept at sensing such changes in tone.

'Don't know,' Ikkaku bit the words out between clenched teeth, still struggling to get out of Rukia's death grip. The petite shinigami had given up on trying to follow him around the floor and had placed her foot on his back, pinning him to the ground as she worked her kido. She was lucky that he was so weak at the moment, or she wouldn't have had a chance at doing what she _was _doing.

'Do you remember _anything_?' Yuki shot the other captain a warning glance as she sensed that any more tension in his voice would instantly alert the others, possibly even Ikkaku. Turquoise eyes met hers and Toshiro sighed in a way of acknowledgement and apology.

'Not one thing,' Yumichika glanced at Orihime, then his gaze flicked to Renji, 'But that's not really that surprising, is it?'

Realising that Renji must have told the others about the strange occurrence with Inoue, Uryu flicked a glance at Ichigo. The orange haired teenager wandered over to the two Eleventh Division members, and spoke to them in a low and rapid tone. Despite the fact that Orihime was in relatively close proximity to Ichigo, she didn't hear what he was saying, being too busy rejecting Renji's wounds.

'We should go to Urahara's,' Toshiro had formed the idea seconds before he spoke, 'Matsumoto, you stay here with Kuchiki and Inoue while they head that lot,' he gestured to the three injured shinigami.

'Should we come?' Chad referred to himself, Ichigo and Uryu as 'we' since they were the only ones without 'orders' yet.

Toshiro debated over the decision, knowing that getting Kurosaki paranoid was never a good thing, 'No,'

Before Ichigo could protest, and he appeared like he was definitely about to, both captains walked out the door silently, leaving the rest of the crowd behind.

* * *

><p>'Guests! How nice!' Urahara's innocent merchant act was something that annoyed Hitsugaya, especially when <em>he<em> knew that _Urahara _knew that something large was happening.

'We need to talk to you,' following the blonde man into his shop, Toshiro began speaking.

'You know what,' rounding a corner, Kisuke spoke rather dramatically, 'Although I have a busy schedule and might prefer _not _to talk to you, I'm going to because I'm interested,'

Not commenting, although the man's behaviour was definitely annoying him, Toshiro just nodded.

'Grey reiatsu, huh?' Urahara spoke as if one of them had mentioned such a thing, 'That's odd. Well guess what,' he paused, but continued when no one replied, 'There are some results I've got on a grey reiatsu that might interest you,'

'Good,' Kanashimi spoke for the first time since entering, as the three of them entered a large room that, from outside, wouldn't probably have existed. It appeared to be a laboratory of some sort.

'Here,' picking up a vial, the shopkeeper showed the two captains the reiatsu inside, 'This is very delicate stuff,' he tossed the bottle back onto its stand without hesitation or any care whatsoever, 'As I'm sure you can see,'

Toshiro settled on deciding that Urahara's version of 'delicate' might just be a bit different from his. As they walked further into the room, his thoughts drifted a bit and he realised that no abnormal poetry had appeared in his head today. Since it was midday by now, he was almost certain that he wasn't going to have another 'insane poet' moment. 'Insane poet' being the best way he could really describe the words that appeared in his head, although he didn't actually think that _he _was the poet. Getting confused, he just shook his head and dispelled all such thoughts from his mind.

Urahara was about to speak, when he whirled around suddenly and slammed open a screen. Behind it, the two human children that lived with the shopkeeper, Tsumugiya Ururu and Hanakari Jinta, crouched quietly.

'Go away you two or there'll be a consequence,' Urahara was smiling and fluttering his fan at them, hat casting his eyes into an ominous shadow. Jinta flinched ever so slightly and then he leapt up, dragging the girl beside him away.

Yuki watched the event with half narrowed eyes. If Urahara didn't want his two charges getting involved in whatever was happening at the moment, then it probably was going to be a very big and almost certainly unpleasant something.

'Now,' Urahara spun around and gestured to a diagram dramatically, all seriousness seemingly gone, 'If you'll just look here-,'

* * *

><p>Author's Note:<p>

Wonder what happened to those three? It seemed that this time it's 'poor Ikkaku, Yumichika and Renji' instead!

And while all this is going on, Orihime continues functioning in _blissful _ignorance . . .


	40. Chapter 6: Fight

_Chapter 6: Fight_

'I'm going to need to buy a bigger apartment,' looking at the entire group of shinigami, _and _Kurosaki and his friends, scattered around her dwelling, Orihime sighed. She was smiling, however, and no one wanted to ruin her good mood.

'Not necessary,' Rangiku draped an arm over the girl's shoulders, noting that she didn't wince at all, 'This is nice and cosy,'

'Really?' the teenager sounded hopeful.

'Okay everyone!' Matsumoto suddenly shouted out loudly, getting every single person's attention, 'Listen up!'

'What is it?' Ikkaku looked mad . . . he was still coming to grips with the fact that someone had used a lot of kido on him.

'Yesterday when I was shopping, three of the stores collapsed,' the Lieutenant's tone was dead serious, 'But no one was injured,' she paused, 'Does anyone think this has any relevance to the attack on those three?' she pointed rather rudely at the two Seated Officers and one red headed Lieutenant.

'May I ask what you were doing _shopping_ yesterday?' Toshiro appeared behind her, a glare firmly directed at the woman's face.

'Hey! I wasn't _shopping_ shopping,' the woman tried to defend herself, 'I was just scouting out the area!'

'Then what are all these bags?' the white haired captain moved aside from the doorway, and revealed a small mountain of different coloured bags.

'Just to stay in character! I had to look normal or everyone would've thought I was a strange person!' her pale blue eyes were earnest, as if she'd talked herself into believing this story so thoroughly that it was the truth for her.

'Right,' glare intensifying, Toshiro walked over to her and then the pair began arguing fiercely. Everyone else just turned back to whatever they'd been doing before the interruption.

Leaning on the closed door, violet eyes watched everything and everyone with absolute ease and care. Yuki could feel the tension in the room rising, and it wasn't because of Matsumoto's fight with her captain. The information the Lieutenant had just given about the collapse of the stores was slowly sinking into everyone's minds and they were beginning to wonder just what it meant.

'What's going on?' Orihime's smile was still in place, but her tone was confused as she could feel the anxiety rolling off the people around her.

No one replied to her innocent question.

* * *

><p>Due to the tension in the room, when a tremendous crash sounded outside, as if in the air above the apartment block, everyone jumped. Everyone except Kanashimi, who was calmly looking at the ceiling as if she had already sensed the approach of whatever had just approached, before it <em>had <em>approached.

There was a pause, and in that short time, minds processed what had just happened. Then, in a great rush, the whole group surged out of the room, Orihime following after another moment of confusion.

Standing on the roof of the apartment, everyone could clearly see two figures garbed in modern grey fighting gear, standing in the air. Their hands were covered by gloves, feet in combat boots, and they had cloth wrapped around their heads, the same grey as their outfits. The only features that could be seen clearly were their eyes and mouths.

There were the soft sounds of zanpakuto being unsheathed, then Uryu's glowing bow formed in his hand, and Chad's right arm was covered by half of his weapon.

'Who are you?' Ichigo was almost hoping that these were the two who'd hurt Orihime, and Ikkaku, Yumichika, and Renji too.

'None of your concern,' the tone was male, confident and relaxed, and his slouching posture matched it perfectly. Bright green eyes bored into Ichigo's head.

'Oh come on,' speaking reproachfully and in a much more careful manner, the other person, also male, patted his partner's shoulder, blue eyes narrowed, 'We owe them at least that much,'

'You think?' the piercing gaze of the first speaker flicked to Orihime, 'Oh look, that sweet little gal looks alright now, don't she?' he put on a foreign accent.

'Who are you?' Ichigo wasn't concerned about repeating himself. From their actions, they knew Inoue, and that probably meant they'd attacked her.

'Oh, persistent aren't we,' the green eyed man exuded confidence, like some kind of famous actor, a true celebrity, 'Well, I suppose we _do _owe you lot that much,'

In a flash, he was gone and then he appeared before Ichigo, grabbing onto the front of the substitute shinigami's shihakusho, 'Actually,' his nails pierced the fabric, scratching Ichigo's skin, 'I'm not such a nice person,'

As Zangetsu swung upwards, the man, whoever he was, disappeared again, landing next to his partner. He shoved his hands in his pockets, surveying the situation again.

'Well I don't care who you are!' Ichigo was furious, 'You obviously hurt my friends and that warrants something in return,'

'Rather old fashioned isn't he?' Blue Eyes spoke to the other man, 'Like the saying _an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth_,'

'Cept we're not dealing in eyes and teeth,' grinning widely, an action which seemed practised perfectly, the other man continued, 'We're dealing in _lives_, right friends?'

'We aren't your friends,' Uryu spoke shortly, his eyes cold, 'Are you actually going to say what you came to say?'

'I like you,' nodding in appreciation, Green Eyes smiled again, 'You don't mess around with unimportant details like _him_,' he gestured at Ichigo with his chin, 'Anyway, we're here to kill you, if that's alright,'

'I'm afraid it's not,' Toshiro took that moment to speak. All of the shinigami were out of their gigais and ready to fight. Really ready.

'That's okay,' Blue Eyes waved a hand as if to reassure them, 'We came prepared to fight too,'

As he spoke, his partner materialised a long, single edged katana in his left hand. A second later, an almost identical blade appeared in the other man's right hand. Two seconds later, one katana was blazing with a brown light, and the other burned in a pale coffee colour.

'Let's get down to business,' Green Eyes grinned his thousand dollar smile, 'Alright?'

* * *

><p>Ichigo slammed Zangetsu into the blade of the green eyed man, his scowl deep and his brown eyes flashing. The two began to trade rapid blows, almost too fast for anyone else to see. Orihime was surrounded by the gigai of the shinigami and her eyes were wide with fear. Not for herself, but for her friends. Rukia was aiding Ichigo wherever she could, but her eyes flicked occasionally to Uryu and Chad as they began taking on the other man. The others, who were currently not involved in fights, just waited until someone fell. They figured that, although the output of grey reiatsu had only began to increase, they wouldn't have to wait too long until they were 'needed'.<p>

'Hey, stop for a moment,' suddenly both men vanished from their respective fights and appeared above everyone again, 'I want to say something,'

Ichigo, Uryu, Chad, and Rukia moved back to the apartment roof, waiting. Things were happening too fast, too fast to comprehend properly. They were acting on instinct.

'What?' Toshiro could feel the tension vibrating through the air.

'Sorry, no hard feelings, kay,' Green Eyes raised his free hand and then let his arm drop, 'You all look just a little bit too menacing and the flying about is confusing me,'

Nothing happened for a moment, and then Toshiro sensed movement to his left. Turning, he watched as Ikkaku, Yumichika and Renji dropped to the ground and began having seizures, eyes wide with shock and pain.

'What did you do to them?' Ichigo was almost screaming, the way he spoke was so loud, 'What the hell did you do to them?'

Rukia leapt forwards suddenly, disturbed deeply by the weak gasps of her childhood friend, and swung her zanpakuto at the nearest man. He parried easily and he was about to stab her when Ichigo appeared.

'Bankai! Tensa Zangetsu!' the orange haired teenager wasted no time in releasing his zanpakuto fully. He began attacking at his full speed and strength, the change enough to force the green eyed man onto the defence.

Matsumoto jumped up too and attempted to join in the fight. The other man twisted lazily to block her first slash, and then he turned fully, blue eyes interested.

'You're quite something for a shinigami,' his arm moved so fast that not a single pair of eyes noticed when his blade pierced Matsumoto's shoulder, 'Oh well, orders are orders,'

Pale blue eyes widened as the Lieutenant fell from the air. It wasn't the size of the wound, as the width of the blades both men wielded was similar to a regular katana, but the coffee coloured fire was now burning through her body.

Further over, the movement created by Rangiku's fall made Rukia turn slightly, only to have a combat booted foot ram into her chest. There was the slight snapping sound of ribs breaking, and then she too tumbled from the air.

Violet eyes surveyed the bodies already on the ground: Ishida – unconscious, Yasutora – unconscious, Madarame, Abarai, Ayasegawa – seizures, Kuchiki – broken ribs, and Matsumoto – stabbed shoulder.

'Inoue,' the captain called out to the girl, directing her to the fallen. She knew it was a risk having Orihime out in the open, but she shouldn't be too hard to defend.

Looking up, Yuki watched as Kurosaki pulled on his Hollow mask. There was a slight pause, and then he began to slash away furiously at the green eyed man. Although he blocked quite a few of the powerful strikes, in the end Ichigo's blade cut a wound from his shoulder to the opposite hip. The man staggered backwards, one hand coming up to his front. There was blood staining his fingers, but, as everyone watched, the wound sealed up immediately, cloth folding back into place over it.

'High speed regeneration?' Ichigo's voice was watery from under his mask.

'Kinda,' lowering his arm, Green Eyes materialised his weapon again, 'Does it really matter?'

As the pair began trading blows again, Kanashimi glanced at Toshiro, whose turquoise eyes were studying everything with utmost care. They should have already engaged the other man in combat, but for some reason, the whole event didn't seem real, like it was a dream.

'Let's go,' as if he had been thinking along similar lines, the white haired captain's voice was distant.

'Captains-,' the blue eyed man appeared on the roof with them, his eyes flicking to Orihime, who was busy rejecting the injuries of the others as best she could.

'Is it important, or can it wait until later?' Toshiro's tone had taken a more _real _tilt now, and his eyes were hard, the grip his hands had around Hyorinmaru's hilt sure.

'Impatient?' it was a question that neither shinigami answered, then Blue Eyes continued, 'You aren't on today's list,' he consulted an imaginary sheet of paper, 'Just them,' a broad sweep of his arm showed that he meant everyone else.

'Why not?' Yuki gazed into the blue eyes without fear, and she knew that just the colour of her eyes was enough to unsettle this man.

'Because someone else wanted you,' shaking his head, he smiled, and it was a very secretive look.

'We really don't have much longer to talk,' looking up at Ichigo, and noting that the teenager appeared to be tiring slightly, Toshiro lifted his zanpakuto.

'Then let's fight,' with a sweep of his glowing blade, Blue Eyes sent a wave of coffee coloured fire at the white haired captain.

'That's not fighting,' Toshiro cut the wave in half with ease, and then jumped forwards, stabbing out with Hyorinmaru. Kanashimi appeared behind the man, katana striking towards his neck. Blue eyes widened fractionally, something Toshiro saw and Yuki sensed, and then the man ducked and rolled away through the air.

'Two against one isn't fair,' he touched the thin scratch on his neck, 'Not fair at all,'

The captains didn't answer, they just kept coming at the man in rapid succession, and he dodged some blows, or countered others.

'Shunko!' the loud cry startled the fighters, and then, in a flash of purple, orange and black, Shihoin Yoruichi was shooting past them, kicking one man away seconds before the next.

'Yoruichi!' Ichigo was shocked, and he removed his mask, 'What are you doing here?'

The two men were returning, from a fair distance away due to the woman's kick, but returning all the same.

'Helping you out for a little bit,' Urahara's voice sounded suddenly and every able bodied person turned to watch him appear of the roof.

Above in the air, the two former attackers paused, and then vanished, leaving nothing behind.

* * *

><p>Author's Note:<p>

A half-proper introduction to the antagonists of this story . . .


	41. Chapter 7: Changing of Recollections

_Chapter 7: Changing of Recollections_

'They ran away,' sitting on the roof beside where Rukia was being treated by Orihime, Ichigo sighed deeply, 'I can't believe that they ran away,'

'Too many strong people about, I guess,' Yoruichi was stretched out on some of the concrete, warmed by the afternoon sun.

_Afternoon sun_, Ichigo blinked as he tried to remember how much time had passed since the fight began. It was impossible that so much time had flown by, but it had. He certainly hadn't noticed that the morning had drifted away while they battled.

'Hitsugaya, Kanashimi, a word please,' Urahara leant against one of the rails, throwing the words over his shoulder. When they approached, he turned to face them fully, his eyes in the shadow of his hat.

'Grey reiatsu,' two words, coming from him, sounded more ominous than if, say, Ichigo had said it, the man continued, 'These are no doubt the trouble makers. I'd say another reason they left is because they seem to know a lot about us. If one of them fell, then I'd have been able to find out so much from the body,'

'Right,' Toshiro felt immensely tired, 'So?'

'So now we wait for another attack,' Urahara sighed dramatically, 'Although you lot are scheduled home tonight, aren't you?'

'I'll have to get this mission extended,' as Toshiro spoke, the reality of Matsumoto, and all the others, getting injured slowly sunk in, and he blinked, 'Excuse me,'

Turning, the white haired captain walked over to where his Lieutenant was lying, included in the large dome of Orihime's rejection powers.

Tsukabishi Tessai appeared suddenly and, taking a place beside Orihime, took out a whole lot of kido utensils, 'I will help heal them,'

Since he left no room for argument, Orihime drew back the dome from over Ikkaku, and the man hurried to that point, ignoring the weak wails of protest. The three men had stopped having seizures as soon as they'd been enveloped in Orihime's powers, but they were weak.

Yuki appeared beside the pair, and gestured for Inoue to open up another part of the sphere. Once the teenager had, the captain knelt beside Matsumoto and touched her shoulder. Then she set about healing the Lieutenant under Toshiro's watchful gaze.

* * *

><p>About half an hour later, everyone was up and they all seemed fine. Yuki had checked on Ikkaku, Yumichika and Renji, but she appeared satisfied with their recovery.<p>

Now, the whole group was sitting in a circle on the apartment block roof, under the slowly darkening sky.

'That was annoying,' Ikkaku was really furious, but there were people here that could do worse than suck on his head, so he kept his anger hidden and his language clean, 'I didn't get to fight either one of those guys,'

'Me neither,' Yumichika was adjusting his eye feathers and his hair, using a reflection in a nearby window, 'Such a shame. And seizures aren't beautiful either,'

'Your shunpo's good,' Yoruichi sat cross legged beside Yuki and peered at her closely, 'I bet you'd be able to give me a run for my money any day,'

'That's not important right now,' Ichigo was also simmering with fury, 'Who were those jerks?'

'The ones who attacked you three,' Urahara's finger skimmed across the three shinigami, 'And her,' as he pointed at Orihime, the girl's eyes widened.

'No, no, no! I fell down the stairs! I fell down the stairs!' she sounded scared, but the truth in her words showed that she still fully believed them.

Passing a hand over the girl's face, Urahara caught her as she fell unconscious, 'Her memories are different to what we know,' he paused, 'But I don't think someone purposely made it that way,' he handed Orihime to Matsumoto as the woman rubbed her shoulder, 'It's got something to do with the trauma the event caused her. It somehow made her change her memories so perfectly that she believes what she made up,'

* * *

><p>As Urahara spoke, a few words filtered into Yuki's head and stayed there, echoing around until they lost all shape and meaning.<p>

_Trauma. Change. Memories. Perfectly._

Had she changed her memories somehow? Had she 'censored' the memory of her death? Or was her time in Junrinan different to what she could recall? Had it been the Head Captain who erased everyone's memories?

_Yes._

The one word exploded in her mind. She had changed some of her memories, she could almost feel it. And, consequently, her death was probably a whole lot more brutal, the feeling of burning probably a lot more agonising. Junrinan, yes, it _had _been the Head Captain who erased everyone's memories. But why had she changed that memory? Why?

_Because if you were the one who did the erasing, then it would look like your choice. Knowing that Yamamoto did that, even to himself, means that you were still rejected, still unwanted, still an abnormality that no one wanted to know._

'You okay?' faintly she could hear Yoruichi's voice, but her mind was far from her body. She wondered if she'd passed out or something like that.

_Not your choice. Rejected. Unwanted. Pain. Fear. Burning. Blood. Wetness, that wetness I feel is my blood. Agony. Yamamoto, why? Memories. Why did you erase their memories? Bankai. Zanpakuto. Fire, no, it's a cero. No choice. Why did you seek me out? Terror. No one wants you. Was it because I had Bankai? Copper, the metallic taste of blood. No, because you can't just become a captain. _

_How am I a captain? No, I wasn't examined by anyone but _him_, and then he introduced me to everyone in the First Division Assembly Hall. No, that's so wrong. Why not? Why am I always treated differently? Why? Why? Why?_

Just die already.

_Those words, my mother's words. She spoke from her heart. I am not wanted._

You have been assigned a mission . . .

_The Head Captain, Yamamoto. He erased everyone's memories, not me. I am not needed, nor wanted. I changed my own memory, why? Because I wanted to feel like I'd had a choice. One choice in my life. But no, that choice was fake. Yamamoto, that kido you used though, that was my kido. So is it so bad? He used my own kido against me. Against me? No, to erase everyone's memories. And then he sent me away._

_I am not wanted._

_I am not needed._

_I am worthless._

You aren't on today's list . . .

_Was he talking to Hitsugaya _and _me? Or just me? His eyes were on me. Why? Always different, always different, always different. Worthless. So worthless. _

_You aren't needed, no one needs you._

_No, that's not quite true either . . ._

Come with me . . .

His _voice, that man's voice. Who was he? _a great pain began to emanate deep from her chest, _Who is that person? Why did that say that? He sounds like he cares._

'Yuki!'

The word, the name, cut through the tumble of thoughts in her mind, ripping away at the confusion, freeing her soul from the burden of questions. All of the _why _questions. Questions she already knew the answers to.

* * *

><p>Toshiro sat in Orihime's almost empty apartment on one of the girl's couches. Everyone else had been taken off to Urahara's. Everyone but him, Kanashimi and Inoue. The orange haired girl was still unconscious on her bed, as Urahara's kido hadn't worn off on her yet. And the captain of the Third Division was currently sitting on another one of the chairs, and had been like that for a short while now, ever since she'd practically gone into a different world, unresponsive to anything, about fifteen minutes ago. No one knew what had happened, not even Urahara, or he would've said or done something, so all they could do was take her inside, along with her gigai, and then wait. The shopkeeper had then wanted everyone to come and get immunised against the common cold, which sounded suspicious, and they'd all left.<p>

_Common cold?_ Toshiro was amused as well as wary, _I bet he's just trying to be scary again. The syringes he's probably going to use on them will probably be filled with either water, or something to make them all go hyper._

He was about to continue along his line of thinking, but then Kanashimi spoke.

'Why,'

One word, said in such a heartbreaking way. Her unseeing lavender eyes gazed at the wall, dark with hidden emotions.

Toshiro found himself thinking a few things. One, that he hoped having various fits of unconsciousness or other unresponsive moments, wasn't going to become a common occurrence with Kanashimi. Two, that there were words in his head again, the ones from the first strange poem. Three, that he was hungry. Four, that something was wrong with Kanashimi. And five, that Kanashimi was about to draw her zanpakuto.

'Yuki!' the exclamation was produced without a single thought of Toshiro's part, and he jumped forwards, one hand securing the katana to its sheath, and the other landing on the captain's shoulder.

There was a pause, as if time was frozen, and then Yuki blinked.

She focused her eyes after a brief second and saw Hitsugaya peering at her concernedly. She tried to recall what had just happened, and then she remembered all of the thoughts that had been in her head moments before.

'Sorry,' her tone was empty, 'I lied,'

* * *

><p>Author's Note:<p>

Wonder who Yuki was talking about at the end there . . . and why she hurt to think about that . . .


	42. Chapter 8: Sorted Out

_Chapter 8: Sorted Out_

Toshiro was confused, very, very confused. Stepping back, he considered her cryptic words and couldn't come to any conclusions. Consequently, he only had one other option if he wanted to understand.

'Lied about what?' his tone was as confused as what he was feeling, 'What do you mean?'

'What Urahara said today, about Inoue creating her own memories,' her eyes were closed and she had her head in her heads, the perfect picture of despair, 'I think, no, I _know_, that I've done that too,' she paused, breathing in deeply, 'You saw my death,' it was only half a question but he nodded anyway, 'That memory, which I relived and you saw, it was changed to be less vicious that it really was. I have other memories, ones that I don't think you've seen, that I know I've changed too,'

'And why is this so, so important?' he knew that some of her memories were brutal and heartless, but he didn't understand what the problem was. If the memories had been altered to be less traumatic, then wasn't that a good thing?

'It's important to me,' she didn't look up, 'But those memories are revealing their true forms now. Although,' she hesitated then as if she wasn't sure whether or not to continue, 'Although I think there are still many more things in my own mind that I don't know,'

Toshiro just watched as the other captain took deep, calming breaths. He suddenly thought that memories seemed to play a very important part in her life.

'Don't worry,' he moved back over, 'When those recollections are supposed to be recalled, then I'm sure they will be,' a faint smile lightened his features, 'And there isn't much a person can do before that time,'

Hidden by her hands, Yuki's eyes opened, and she realised that he was right, but without those memories, she was certain something _bad _was going to happen.

'If you wouldn't mind-,' her voice was quiet and slow, as if she was extremely tired. And she didn't finish the sentence before she _was_ fast asleep, still sitting up.

* * *

><p>'<em>Your skills in zanjutsu, hakuda and kido are excellent,' all of Yuki's shinigami teachers were garbed in a special material designed by the Kido Corps that would protect them if Yuki's deadly reiatsu flared again, 'And your shunpo is superb!'<em>

_Yuki was hardly listening to the man, instead she was gazing out over the lush green field and trying to concentrate on the cool sensation spreading through her body. _

_It was her zanpakuto spirit._

'_Kuro-kyō Shinu Meikin,' she raised her hand, feeling the icy wind and the black feathers burst from her body, 'Come to me,'_

_The katana formed in her hand and then she lowered her arm, fingers curling around the familiar hilt. She had her zanpakuto back, and its Shikai. Now, due to her training, she would be able to learn its abilities too._

'_Kanashimi!' the teacher tried to hide his surprise at the sudden katana materialisation by sounding angry, 'Were you even listening?'_

_He knew that such an easy zanpakuto forming wasn't normal, the spontaneous appearance of the katana, it was wrong._

'_Sorry,' she sheathed the blade, hand lingering on the hilt, 'What were you saying?'_

'_You are to graduate the Academy tomorrow,' it was the Head Captain's voice. He had decided that, although she'd only been at the Academy for a couple of months, it was time to move her on. Multiple renowned teachers had been injured trying to train her, and the decision had been made to send her on a long-term mission. If she died, then perhaps it would be better for everyone._

'_Why?' Yuki was curious more than suspicious._

'_You have learned everything we can teach you,' the teacher removed the protective garb and sighed, 'And you have excelled in all subjects,'_

'_You've replaced the other prodigies who've passed through this Academy,' another person, who knew who he was, began speaking._

'_They were younger, nothing changes,' Yuki spoke almost sharply and the man fell silent. She had a silent fury over the easy dismissal of such talented people._

'_You have been assigned a mission that will require visits to parts of the World of the Living,' Yamamoto began to speak again, 'There are a very dangerous group of Hollows that need dealing with,'_

'_Right,' Yuki paused, lavender eyes flicking to the Head Captain, 'Do I travel alone?' _

_It didn't bother her, but she was interested to hear his answer. Suspicious almost._

'_Nope, we're going with you,' four recently graduated shinigami approached her, and she recognised a few of them._

'_Oh,' hiding her amusement, Yuki just nodded._

'_Please leave immediately,' the Head Captain turned as if he was about to leave._

_Violet eyes narrowed slightly when the girl sensed a sudden change in Yamamoto's reiatsu, then she saw his arms moving. _

'_Shōkyo Omoide,' Yuki couldn't believe what she was hearing. Her own kido, being used to do . . .what?_

_A wave of fiery power raced away from the Head Captain, washing into the Seireitei and the Academy. Yuki suddenly worked out what the old man was doing. He was erasing everyone's memories of her existence._

_She stared in mild shock as the spell curled around Yamamoto as well._

'_You would take your own memories as well?' Yuki's words were lost in the raging wind that sprang up._

_Inside the kido, Yamamoto released his memories of finding Kanashimi Yuki. He let everything fade except her name, and her skills._

_He sensed that someday, he would need someone like her, and so he needed a way of finding her. _

'_Kanashimi Yuki,' he turned away fully, not meeting her tragic eyes, 'Until we meet again,'_

* * *

><p>Yuki's eyes flicked open and she realised instantly that that had been the true memory of her departure from the Shino Academy. Yamamoto hadn't said when he would see her again, or even why he would want to, he had just taken everyone's memories. But she didn't hate him, or even distrust him. The fact remained that she had been taken into a captain's position by him. And she got the strange impression that he didn't know why he'd wanted to find her either. Still, she was so glad that at least one of her memories had been sorted out properly.<p>

* * *

><p>Toshiro walked past Orihime and Matsumoto in the kitchen, and opened the door to the room he and his Lieutenant occupied while staying with the teenager. The screen at the back of the room was currently black, but it wouldn't be hard to get a link open to the Soul Society.<p>

'Captain Hitsugaya,' Yamamoto stood before the corresponding screen in the Seireitei, 'What news do you have?'

'We need more time,' Toshiro knew that it was a hard thing to give, but he asked anyway, 'There was an attack today, and a few of the injuries dealt to the group were serious,'

'I can delay the celebrations for one week,' the Head Captain nodded, 'Captain Kurotsuchi is working on analysing that reiatsu as we speak,'

'Thank you,' as the connection was severed once more, Toshiro sighed and rubbed his head. He sensed suddenly that Yuki was awake, and blinked. She was a vexing person, and he was almost certain she thought so too, but still, it didn't change the fact that-

_Our two worlds have collided,_

_I have found a part of me,_

_That I didn't realise I was missing._

_You are the meaning,_

_To my life._

Growling under his breath, the white haired captain contemplated hitting himself over the head with something heavy, just to be unconscious where thinking was harder. It was really beginning to annoy him, the whole 'insane poet' thing. Sure he was patient and mature when need be, which was almost always, but this was going a bit far.

_Stop thinking about POETRY! _he was going mad, he knew it, _You should be focusing on important things like today's attack and a plan for tomorrow._

'Captain! Dinner's up,' Matsumoto's cheery voice almost made him snap, but, using a mixture of deep breaths and meditative thoughts, he calmed down and left the room quietly.

* * *

><p>Author's Note:<p>

So it was the Head Captain, does it make a tiny bit more sense now? I don't know . . .


	43. Chapter 9: A Day at Urahara's

_Chapter 9: A Day at Urahara's_

'Rise and shine everyone!' having just heard the phrase on the television, Matsumoto was ready to share it, 'We've got a big day ahead of us! Urahara contacted Orihime this morning and we're all required at Urahara Shoten right about NOW!'

Orihime wandered over to stand by the door, noting the calm appearance of Kanashimi, and then the pair waited for the captain and Lieutenant of the Tenth Division to emerge.

When Toshiro appeared, he was dragging Rangiku along by the sleeve of her cardigan and frowning. It was all very well for her to say that they were going, but to actually get her moving was a different story.

'Let's go,' his tone was one of long suffering, and there was a very faint darkness around his eyes which suggested he hadn't had a good night's sleep.

'Alright!' Orihime's cheerfulness was unbridled by the fact that she still didn't understand exactly what was going on, 'To Urahara's!'

She made the small journey seem very grand.

* * *

><p>'So you're all here now,' Urahara cast his shadowed gaze over the assembled group. They were all down in his underground training area, and the shopkeeper wasn't at all concerned by the fact that Ichigo and his friends had skipped school to be there.<p>

'What's this about?' Ikkaku looked a bit stiff, as, overnight, his tired muscles had seized up on him, 'I was busy,'

'Annoying Kurumadani doesn't count as being busy,' Urahara sighed in his usual way, 'But still, now that the guests are assembled, we can begin the party!'

Tessai appeared, carrying a medical kit, and the man leered at Ikkaku, 'Do you need some medical assistance?'

Despite feeling very sore, the Third Seat had experienced some of Tessai's healing methods, and he wasn't so sure he wanted to be at the man's mercy again, 'No,'

Yumichika chuckled slightly, being much less sore than his friend for some reason, and then he found Tessai pouncing on him. Shouting out in annoyance, the man turned and began running away as fast as he could.

'Ururu!' Urahara's call was cheerful, 'Stop him!'

The black haired girl appeared and kicked Yumichika, sending him flying back towards Tessai. The man then caught the other Eleventh Division member and tied both of them up. Turning, his glasses flashed as he noticed Renji trying to creep away and fight Rukia off at the same time.

'Jinta!' not wanting the red headed boy to feel left out, Urahara called out again, 'Stop the free loader!'

Renji had one moment to think 'yay, I'm getting away', and another to think 'oh crap', as Jinta's sturdy bat whacked him in the chest and the Lieutenant sailed peacefully through the air until he landed with a thud next to Ikkaku.

'We've got you now!' Tessai began unloading needles and various other dangerous looking tools, 'Just you wait, you'll be all better in a moment!'

'Aaaah!' the combined shout of terror from the three of them was ignored by the others. Uryu was sewing, perched high atop one of the rock formations in the place, Chad was talking to Ichigo, Matsumoto was harassing Orihime, and Rukia was reading what appeared to be a horror manga.

Urahara pulled Toshiro aside to talk to him about how to handle Orihime's current state of mind, and then Ururu approached Kanashimi nervously.

'Um, would you be able to help with those three?' the girl pointed to where Tessai was busily needling Ikkaku, 'They seem a little scared,'

'I see,' turning her attention to the situation in the present, Yuki moved over to Renji, 'Wait a moment,' passing her hand over his eyes, she let him slide into temporary unconsciousness. The next thing she did was use her kido to remove his physical injuries, eradicating the aches and pains, and then she waited until she was sure no one was looking before slicing the inside of her wrist. As with Inoue in the hospital, a wisp of grey reiatsu flowed from Renji and into the fresh wound.

_I should have done this yesterday, _Yuki thought with faint regret, _And it looks like I'll need to do it twice too._

Standing, she made her way to Yumichika and repeated the process. Finally, when Ikkaku was the only one she hadn't tended to, she turned to Tessai.

'You were the Commander of the Kido Corps, right,' it was less of a question that a statement, 'You must know a lot about kido,'

'Oh I do!' he seemed proud, despite the fact that he was officially exiled from the Soul Society, 'I heard from Urahara that you're quite good at it yourself,'

'Oh,' once again, when she continued, it wasn't really a question, 'May I?'

The man nodded and moved away from Ikkaku. As she let the others wake, Yuki forced the Third Seat into unconsciousness and then withdrew the grey reiatsu, making sure Tessai couldn't see or sense what she was doing. Then she straightened and turned to the man.

'You are good,' it was a compliment, albeit delivered in a rather blank way.

'Why thank you!' it didn't seem to matter though, as Tessai immediately launched into a long speech about the different uses of kido. Yuki found the topic interesting, so she stayed and listened, despite the pitiful glances she received.

* * *

><p>Matsumoto excused herself from her conversation with Orihime, and approached her captain, who was sitting on another high pillar of yellowish rock nearby, staring out over the training ground, 'Captain,'<p>

Her tone was serious, but Toshiro decided that he couldn't take too much more seriousness today, not after talking to Urahara, and plus, he was tired, 'The celebrations have been moved back a week,'

'Really?' sensing the mood that her captain was in, Matsumoto changed her tone to her usual bubbly and cheerful one, this conversation was going to have to be light.

'Yes,' the answer was short, but not in a rude way.

'That's good then,' she sighed contentedly, finding it surprisingly easy to put aside her problems for a while. To put aside everyone's problems.

'I know,' turquoise eyes were distant.

'Captain-,' she cut herself off, not willing to ruin the semi-calm atmosphere around them. It was going to be difficult not to say what was on her mind, but she would manage. For her captain's sake, she would manage.

* * *

><p>'Stop looking at me like that,' as Tessai moved away from Rukia, the petite shinigami glared fiercely at a certain orange haired teenager.<p>

'Sorry,' Ichigo's expression didn't change and the girl before him found herself getting angrier and angrier.

'What?' she was snapping now, 'Don't tell me I have to think up another speech about my injuries not being your fault!' situations like this came up far too often and it was one of the reasons she kept training to get stronger. Having a gloomy Ichigo around was like being suffocated over the course of a few years. He would just stare with a guilty look on his face and remain completely silent unless you said something to him, after which he'd respond in a dull way before continuing the staring.

'No, don't bother yourself,' dull, his voice was _dull_, and that meant, Rukia paused in expectation until Ichigo's eyes shifted, yep, he was staring again.

'In five seconds,' she had to fight to stay calm, 'If you haven't stopped doing that and, oh I don't know, _forgiven _yourself, then I'm going to bash you up and let Tessai at you!'

'That's kind of harsh!' snapping out of his sulking state in a flash, Ichigo glowered at her instead, 'I wouldn't force such a thing on _anyone_!'

'Oh really!' pleased that he seemed to be back to his usual self, Rukia stood up, glowering right back at Ichigo, who was still sitting on the ground, 'Well I can't think of something worse to do to someone that what you always do to me!'

'And that is?' despite the fact that he was shouting, Ichigo looked genuinely confused.

Rukia could hardly believe it. So, in situations like when Orihime had been healing her after she'd been wounded by Grimmjow, and Ichigo had been doing the stare-and-look-guilty thing, he hadn't even known he was doing it?

She put on a face that was her best imitation of Ichigo's depressed and guilty one, and then said, 'When you look at me like this after I've been injured,'

Ichigo stared, and stared, and didn't stop staring. Rukia was wondering if she was going to have to imitate _that _look next when the orange haired teenager leapt up screaming.

Everyone else's heads snapped over to see what Kurosaki Ichigo was making so much noise about. All they saw was Rukia smothering a smile and standing gracefully, and the substitute shinigami himself yelling with all his might, looking rather white.

'What happened?' Uryu wasn't sure he wanted to know, and he was also cross since he'd started so badly when Ichigo had first shouted, that he'd pulled a thread.

'I was just showing Ichigo his stare-and-look-guilty face,' Rukia was matter of fact, 'And I'm hoping I won't need to show it to him ever again, and also that he won't show it to _me_ ever. Again,' with a smile, she turned and walked off, heading towards Orihime.

Ichigo was shaking so badly, that he couldn't walk, so instead he just collapsed weakly onto the floor and everything for him was alright for a while . . . until Tessai thought he was injured and tried to help him out.

* * *

><p>Toshiro was sighing deeply as Matsumoto left his side. Turning, turquoise eyes noticed Kanashimi rising from beside Renji. There was nothing odd about that, since she was helping Tessai get everyone back into shape, but then he saw a thin rivulet of blood running down her right hand, and he frowned.<p>

* * *

><p>Author's Note:<p>

So what _is _Kanashimi doing? And Tessai . . . good job! Everyone seems to be pretty active and all, except perhaps Ichigo . . . Rukia sure does know how to keep him in line


	44. Chapter 10: Thoughts

_Chapter 10: Thoughts_

'So what are we supposed to do?' Ichigo was agitated as he paced. The ones among them who were students of Karakura High School had skipped class and were once again in Urahara's basement.

'We can't do anything but wait until they show up again,' Uryu had finished his sewing the day before, so now he was just sitting, 'We don't even know what they are,'

'That's true, that's very true,' Urahara appeared suddenly, 'All I can show you is this,' glancing once at the two captains, he produced a small vial of grey reiatsu, 'This is the reiatsu from one of those people,' he tossed it to Ichigo who fumbled in a frightening way before getting a good grip on the bottle, before the teenager could start protesting, Urahara continued quickly, 'And I say one of _those people _as I haven't a clue what they are yet,'

He was smiling, but almost everyone could sense the concern in his tone.

'Well if you don't, how are we supposed to know what they are?' Renji was tired. He was tired of everything and he wished that things could just stay peaceful for a while longer instead of all these new enemies popping up out of nowhere.

'Sorry, that's all I've got,' disappearing again before someone could try and hurt him, Urahara started back towards his laboratory.

'What was that for? He didn't even help,' Ichigo also sounded tired, but he was still furious at how easily the two whatever-they-weres had fought them.

'Shut up,' Rukia was drawing and she needed all of her concentration. Unfortunately for her, Ichigo decided that arguing with someone would pass the time nicely, and so he began insulting her sketches.

That consequently got her mad and soon both of them were trading harsh remarks quicker than Renji could release his zanpakuto.

Toshiro watched as Matsumoto convinced Orihime to come shopping with her, saying that if someone saw her and decided that she was a bad person for skipping school, she'd deal with them. The teenager was smiling by the time the pair of them left.

The white haired captain didn't have the strength to go after them as, although this wasn't a holiday, waiting around was just as exhausting.

'I need to visit my father,' Uryu's tone was cold and short, and his eyes were hard. No one could work out why exactly he needed to go, but they just nodded as he walked stiffly past. The Quincy wasn't looking forward to the meeting, that much was pretty obvious.

'Okay, off you go,' Renji's tone was kind of mocking, just because the red head didn't have anything to do either.

Uryu ignored that and then he paused, adding, 'I'll keep an eye out for anything,'

'Good,' Ikkaku waved him off, lying on the ground and trying to work out if he should just attack Ichigo for something to do, or if it was too risky. After all the carrot head seemed pretty angry at the moment.

Both of the Eleventh Division members, and Abarai, were in full health now, despite the slightly traumatic way they'd achieved that. All three of them were full of energy that was slowly seeping away into the dry ground of the basement.

'Next time those freaks show up, we're going to fight them for real,' Ikkaku sighed deeply, feeling uncharacteristically thoughtful.

'And it will be beautiful,' Yumichika added, as if it were an afterthought.

'Just shut up,' Ichigo was seething with rage and, since his reiatsu seemed to be getting pretty dangerous, everyone went quiet.

* * *

><p>'Kanashimi,' Urahara appeared behind the Third Division captain, pausing, 'Would you help me out with a few tests?'<p>

Yuki turned around and surveyed the former captain of the Twelfth Division, and then nodded, 'Of course,'

'Okay,' as he led the way out of the training ground and into his workstation, Urahara continued talking, 'I'm going to need a blood sample, and a reiatsu sample,'

As she offered her arm, the captain asked, 'What's this for?'

'Just a bit of book keeping on my part,' Urahara smiled, 'Nothing serious,'

'Right,' Yuki found that she neither believed what the shopkeeper was saying, or that she should try to stop him.

* * *

><p>Toshiro was having a difficult time yet again. It seemed as if every second of the day was either filled with Matsumoto, fighting, thinking, or nothing. And nothing was actually even worse than Matsumoto. Waiting around for one of those men to attack the Town, or just waiting in general, was absolutely exhausting, both physically and mentally.<p>

The white haired captain wasn't surprised to find himself doing nothing until late in the night, long after Matsumoto, Kanashimi, Inoue and he himself had already returned to the teenager's apartment.

* * *

><p>'Captain,' Matsumoto's whispering in his ear was loud, 'Guess what,' she paused, then hissed harshly, 'It's Wednesday,'<p>

Sitting up, but not hitting the table this time, Toshiro turned to glare at his Lieutenant, 'Why did you need to do that?'

'Because it was fun,' Rangiku was cheery and smiling, but there was a darkness in her eyes, 'And because you were sleeping in,'

'I'm tired,' the captain snapped back, standing up and stretching, wishing the gigai wasn't quite so tight, and wishing he wasn't always sleeping under a table.

'Fine, fine. I'm sorry,' she shook her head and then gestured to the door, 'Come on, breakfast is ready,'

* * *

><p>Ikkaku sat on the edge of a high building, zanpakuto in his hands, and shihakusho fluttering in a light breeze. He could sense Yumichika preening behind him but he ignored the other man.<p>

Ikkaku loved fighting. It was almost all he lived for: fighting, and Kenpachi Zaraki, his captain. He wanted to live with, fight beside, and die beside his captain. The strongest shinigami in the whole of the Soul Society, in his point of view. One who didn't rely on stuff like kido.

He could clearly remember when he'd first fought Zaraki. Neither of them had been shinigami at that stage, certainly not a Seated Officer or a captain. He'd almost died during that fight. After that, he'd become a shinigami, to serve under the man who almost killed him, but didn't.

Thoughts drifting back to the present, where he was in the World of the Living which included many mysterious things like neatly wrapped onigiri, Ikkaku gazed out over the city scape. These new enemies were strong, but they used some strange method of disabling people. He could still remember the agony ripping through his body just before he'd started having the seizures.

_Dishonourable, that's what it is,_ the man, one who was in denial over his baldness, thought in annoyance, _Seemed like kido but not kido._

He held up the onigiri he'd bought from a store and decided that figuring out its secrets was just as important as new enemies.

* * *

><p>Watching his old friend glaring fiercely at a wrapped onigiri, Yumichika bit back a laugh. There were some things in this world that were never meant to be understood, and those rice balls were one of them. Still, he didn't bother telling Ikkaku to give up.<p>

Turning his face to the sky and wondering whether or not the morning sunlight could ruin his complexion, Yumichika began to ponder one of his favourite subjects. Beauty.

He knew that some things didn't look beautiful, and that consequently meant that they were ugly. He'd heard people say that it was 'what was inside that mattered' but as his eyes could only see the outside, he disregarded that proverb completely.

In Karakura Town there were quite a few beautiful things, from carefully designed buildings, to people walking the streets. The landscape wasn't entirely unpleasant either. Still, there were a lot of things he'd seen that he wished he hadn't, and _those _ranged from a dog poo to a really fat man waddling down the street.

Shaking his head to dispel the image he wished he'd never received, Yumichika turned his attention to something else. The 'new enemies'.

He couldn't tell what they looked like, because of their outfits, but he had a feeling that, at least, the green eyes one would probably be visually appealing.

_Just like me_, he thought, as his mind quickly moved on from enemies to its true favourite topic. Himself.

As the Fifth Seat of the Eleventh Division went back to dreamily rearranging his hair and shihakusho, using a nearby window as a mirror, he sighed happily.

* * *

><p>Renji lay on Urahara's roof, eyes closed, completely ignorant to the world around him. The Lieutenant was trying to think of nothing, or something other than the shocking pain of the seizures. He couldn't work those out, and just remembering them made his veins throb, so he decided to think about an old annoyance of his – Kuchiki Byakuya, his captain. For some reason, the blue eyed man from the other day reminded him of the Sixth Division's captain. He couldn't be sure if it was the cultured intelligence that the enemy exuded that made him think of Kuchiki, but there was definitely something. He chuckled slightly at the thought, especially when he realised that he'd completely failed at taking his mind of the 'new enemies'.<p>

_Those seizures_, his thoughts drifted back to the pain he'd experienced, _I hope I never experience those again_.

* * *

><p>Turning to examine what the outfit she was wearing did for her body, Matsumoto sighed deeply. It wasn't the clothes that were troubling her, more like two captains and two strange men.<p>

Kanashimi seemed withdrawn more than usual, Hitsugaya was acting strangely, and those two guys who'd attacked them were uncomfortable mysteries.

Sighing savagely, Rangiku went back into the change room, sensing Orihime in the next one, and sat on the ground, not at all concerned by whatever might be on the surface. She leant her head on her arms and closed her eyes.

_There's nothing happening, and too much happening, _her thoughts were in a jumble, her hand rose and touched her shoulder, _And that blade, what was it? The burn from that wound,_ she paused her train of thought, _I wonder how much more pain Renji and the others were feeling. I didn't even get seizures and I thought I was going to die_.

Shaking her head, she rose briskly and pulled out the next outfit she wanted to try on.

* * *

><p>Orihime thought she could sense some disquiet on the other side of the thin changing room wall. Rangiku had been bubbly, as usual, but the teenager had noticed a darkness in, and under, the woman's pale blue eyes. Her thoughts flicked to all of her friends, worrying over each of them. She knew she wasn't much help in a fight, but afterwards, that was when she was able to be of assistance. Brown eyes shimmered as the girl remembered all of the times when she'd arrived when fights had finished, and seen her friends injured so, so badly.<p>

'Are you alright Orihime?' Matsumoto's voice carried easily into the small room, 'I'm coming in!'

'Eek!' shuffling backwards to make room for the woman, Orihime was glad that she was fully dressed, 'Rangiku!'

'Don't worry,' the cheer in the Lieutenant's voice was real, not forced, 'I just wanted to check up on you!' leaning forwards, pale blue eyes gazed into brown ones, only a breath away, 'Make sure you're not crying,'

'Why would I be crying?' she was embarrassed, but touched that Rangiku was worried about her.

'Because you're a kind, caring girl,' and, as Matsumoto hugged her, Orihime suddenly realised that her cheeks were wet.

* * *

><p>Turning his back to Rukia as he lay on his bed, Ichigo was glad that he was home, and not at Urahara's. He took comfort in the fact that he would be able to protect his family if the need arose. His friends, too, were important to him, and he was willing to do almost anything to help them. And the shinigami who visited occasionally from the Soul Society, although they usually only came when times were dangerous, they were also people he looked out for.<p>

A scowl passed over his face, _Except Renji, or Ikkaku, _he pictured trying to help Yumichika, _Or that guy._

Rolling over again so that he was facing the roof, Ichigo listened to the squeaky sound Rukia's permanent pens were making, and a frown passed over his face. Sitting up, the orange haired teenager glanced around.

'Rukia?' brown eyes fell on the petite shinigami as she crouched beneath his desk, drawing on . . . something, 'What are you doing?'

She jumped, a sure sign that she was guilty, and spun around, backing up under the desk, 'Nothing,'

Ichigo swung his legs off the bed and walked over, trying to see past her, 'That's so not true,' crouching, he grabbed her arm and pulled, trying to dislodge her, 'Rukia!'

Indigo eyes flashing dangerously, the shinigami twisted, cracking Ichigo's head against the side of the desk, and then she bolted to the window, 'Watch it, you idiot!'

Rubbing his skull, the teenager bent down again, brown eyes falling on a stuffed lion toy with scribbles all over its face, 'Kon?'

'Murghphh,' the mod soul's plushy eyes rolled, 'Gurgphmm,'

Sitting back on his heels, Ichigo turned to gaze questioningly at Rukia. He wasn't angry that she'd been drawing on Kon, that toy was an amazing nuisance, but he wanted to know _why_. Why she'd done it, and why Kon couldn't talk properly.

'What did you do?' his tone was surprised, 'And what did you do it _with_?'

'Permanent pens I got from Urahara's,' she peered at one of them in her hand, 'They were on sale,'

'So why did you draw on,' brown eyes flicked downwards, 'Kon?'

'Because I wanted to and because he was being perverted,' Rukia's tone was superior and Ichigo decided not to question further, although he _was _curious.

As he sat down on his desk chair, the orange haired shinigami thought to himself, _Waiting around doesn't help anyone. It makes people, _he glanced sideways at Rukia, _Do weird things. I hope we won't have to wait much longer, although if someone gets hurt I could have waited forever, _sighing, he rubbed his sore head, _But that doesn't even make sense._

* * *

><p>Author's Note:<p>

Kind of a filler chapter . . . just what a few of them are thinking as they all wait for the inevitable second fight . . .


	45. Chapter 11: Targeted

_Chapter 11: Targeted_

Toshiro woke up and found that he wasn't under a table, which was an odd but pleasant surprise. He walked out of the room and found that Matsumoto was eating breakfast in an orderly manner at the table. He looked at the calendar, noted that it was a Thursday, and then decided that Orihime must have gone to school.

'Matsumoto,' the Lieutenant looked up, and Toshiro continued, 'Is everyone at school today?'

'Just Ichigo and his friends,' she ate another mouthful of the substance in her bowl, 'And Rukia,'

'Today I want you to keep an eye on those irritating Eleventh Division members,' turquoise eyes blinked, 'Make sure they aren't too far away just in case something happens,'

'Right,' nodding, she ate some more.

'No shopping,' Kanashimi's voice floated in from the living room and Rangiku felt herself flinch. She'd almost forgotten that the Third Division captain lived with them too.

'O-okay!' her reply was perhaps a second too late but no one rebuked her.

* * *

><p>Life in Urahara Shoten was peaceful. Jinta was bullying Ururu, Yoruichi was eating, Tessai was . . . doing whatever he does in his spare time, Renji was sleeping, and Urahara was working. The former captain of the Twelfth Division and Founder of the Department of Research and Development was examining the samples he'd taken from Kanashimi. There was something about her that suggested scientific research would be the only way to unlock some of her secrets.<p>

'Hey,' the voice of a certain red headed Lieutenant made Urahara turn, 'Do you have a minute?'

'Sure I do,' wondering just what Renji wanted to talk about now, Kisuke walked out of his laboratory, shutting the door behind him, and followed the Lieutenant to a sitting room.

Sitting down, Renji tried to work out how to say what he needed to, but failed miserably, so he just said, 'Those things, what did they do to Ikkaku, Yumichika and me?'

Urahara surveyed the man from the shadow of his hat, 'I don't know,'

'What?' Renji couldn't believe it. He'd truly believed that this time, Urahara would have an answer for him.

'I'm sorry,' standing up again, and tapping the table with his cane, the shopkeeper added, 'Don't worry, I don't think it can happen to you again,'

'Huh?' of course the man had more questions, but by then, Urahara was already gone, mumbling to himself now, Renji added, 'Why not?'

* * *

><p>'We don't need a watcher,' Ikkaku was thoroughly insulted that Matsumoto had appeared and had been staring at them ever since, and now he was trying to get her to <em>go away<em>, 'Who cares about orders?'

'I do,' for once Rangiku decided to do her job properly. She wasn't sure whether it was the threat of what the two captains might do to her if she skipped out on her duties this time, or if it was just some sort of instinct. There was something in the air that made her body want to start buzzing with tension.

'How do I look today?' Yumichika could also feel the waves of apprehension vibrating through the air, but he tried to both ignore it himself and distract everybody else. Self-centred narcissist he might be, but he did care for his friends. Although he wasn't so sure Matsumoto counted as a 'friend'.

'Shut up,' Ikkaku was in the worst mood he'd been in, in a long time. His current goals in life were to bash someone up, slice a few Hollows in half, fight Ichigo, fight one of those strange men, fight _anyone _who was strong. He was dying of nothing to do. It didn't help when he recalled how weak he'd been fighting those strangers the last time. Seizures of all things, he just couldn't believe it.

'Look you two-,' Matsumoto was just about to continue when something _changed_.

* * *

><p>Back in his laboratory, Urahara was staring at a blue tinted screen, as if that would help him learn its secrets. His eyes travelled down the columns of text and diagrams without seeming to stop and rest of a single word. Sighing, he clicked onto the next page. He could feel an expectancy in the air that was mildly concerning, and he didn't want to know how much time he had before that expectancy evolved into something else.<p>

As the new page loaded up, shaded eyes widened and the man exited the room in a flurry of green cloth.

* * *

><p>'Excuse me, Teacher,' Rukia received Urahara's message on her phone and jumped up immediately, cursing the fact that they'd all decided to come to school today, 'I need to go to the nurse's office!'<p>

'Me too!' four other voices sounded and then the whole group was out of the classroom and racing down the corridors.

'What is it?' Ichigo, running beside Rukia, turned to her.

'Those guys again, message from Urahara,' she tapped her pocket, hearing her nail hit her phone through the fabric of her skirt.

'We've got to hurry!' Uryu's hissed exclamation was duly noted and everyone increased their pace.

* * *

><p>Ikkaku looked up, noticing that Yumichika did the same. Not much was different, but something definitely was. Casting out his senses, the bald man suddenly noticed the slightest hint of an ashy reiatsu.<p>

'It's them!' with a shout, he leapt off the building.

'Let's go,' Matsumoto and Yumichika flew after the other man, racing towards the place where the reiatsu seemed to be coming from.

It seemed that that medium sized, green grassy field was always the initial source of trouble. It was where the first fully developed Arrancar, or the first encountered Espada, had appeared. A seemingly unimportant park in Karakura Town.

* * *

><p>'Praise yourselves for your quick response,' surveying the group of nine, the Blue Eyed man smiled his mysterious smile, 'We thought we'd have to wait all day,'<p>

'Who's we?' Ichigo still wanted names. He liked having names, although he often didn't remember them, and then he liked having faces, because then you could put the two of them together and try to recall who the hell that person was.

'Oh,' the Green Eyed man stepped from behind his partner, 'That's right,' he raised his hands, 'I almost forgot,' then he smiled hugely, 'We've been given permission to give _you _our names,'

'Oh the joy,' Uryu's mutter was sarcastic as the teenager formed his bow.

'Koru,' the Green Eyed man, or, Koru, spoke in his arrogant way, 'Sorry, no surnames,' his katana materialised in his hand, 'Cause we don't have any anymore,'

'Bikuta,' his partner half sighed his name, as if he found the whole thing tiresome.

Renji found himself thinking that he'd been wrong about similarities between _Bikuta_ and Kuchiki. They couldn't have been more different, although now he couldn't work out why.

'And now?' Ikkaku was hoping that they hadn't come all the way from wherever they came from, although it could have been across the block, just to introduce themselves. His eyes locked on the glowing katana in Koru's hand.

'We've got a mission to carry out,' both of them spoke as they moved down from the air, jumping the last metre to the ground, and then stopping.

'And that includes us?' the Third Seat could feel himself tensing and relaxing.

'Oh of course,' with his perfect smile in place, Koru leapt forwards, blade howling in its path to Ichigo's neck.

'Bankai,' the orange haired teenager dodged and then immediately released his zanpakuto, 'Tensa Zangetsu!'

Leaping forwards, he engaged Koru in a devastating round of attacks, all of which were blocked with ease. The green eyes of the man were glittering with intent, presumably a deadly, killing intent, but his whole body projected an image of nonchalance and lazy arrogance.

'Licht Regen!' knowing that utilising the full power of the technique probably wasn't a good idea considering the location of the fight, Uryu limited the rain of arrows. Bikuta dodged Ikkaku and Yumichika's attacks, and then seamlessly cut away the spirit arrows, before jumping at Uryu. The Quincy pulled out one of his Seele Schneider just in time to block, but then he would've been cut in half if Ikkaku's Shikai hadn't taken the next blow.

Rukia was working hard to protect Orihime from random burst of cool fire from the blades that the men wielded. She kept one eye on the fight, and the other on Ichigo, until she got dizzy and then she just focused on the fight.

_They seem to have a purpose this time_, the thought crossed her mind as she cut through another beam of flames, _I wonder what it is . . ._

* * *

><p>Toshiro couldn't believe that he wasn't there to aid his Lieutenant and the others. Urahara and his crazy ideas had meant that the two captains were now sitting on the doorway of the man's shop, feeling like vomiting or passing out and nothing else. The new drug, one that was supposed to enable them to record what they were seeing and hearing, was a disaster.<p>

The shopkeeper had said that it would take a few minutes to activate, and that the others could hold out until then, but now, it seemed like they were going to have to wait hours until the man worked out an antidote. It seemed almost like he was trying to stall their departure.

_Why did I even think about believing him_, sighing deeply, in a frustrated and tired way, Toshiro turned to glance at Yuki.

Her skin was white and her half closed lavender eyes were dull. She hadn't vomited yet, like he had, but she looked ill just the same. They were both in such bad condition that fighting would be foolish, but still, he needed to get there to help.

Sensing movement, Yuki looked up, ignoring how her whole body shuddered because she did, and then she stood, albeit shakily, leaning against the doorframe, 'Let's go,'

'What?' Toshiro stood too, but he didn't believe what he was hearing. It should have been very obvious that they shouldn't be able to fight.

'Fight,' closing her eyes, she used shunpo to vanish.

Wondering just how she could ignore the intense discomfort, Toshiro followed.

* * *

><p>'Bankai! Hihio Zabimaru!' Renji was getting lost in the fights as strikes were delivered faster than the eye could follow. Having so many people fighting only two opponents was getting very confusing.<p>

The red headed Lieutenant decided they needed a plan.

'Everyone!' he yelled out, and called the group to him. The only people who didn't return from their fights were Ikkaku, who was battling Bikuta, and Ichigo, who was still trying to beat Koru.

'What?' they weren't sure how long the Third Seat could hold the other man back.

'We can't keep fighting like this,' Renji shook his head, 'We could easily strike down one of _us_ instead of one of them,'

As he spoke, there was a great ripping sound and then hundreds of Hollows spewed from a Garganta, high in the air. Things were getting far too chaotic and Rukia found herself thinking that the seemingly hopeless situation they were in, with enemies coming from all sides, was just cliché.

'What?' wondering if this was another skill that one of their attackers possessed, the group turned to face Koru and Bikuta, who'd retreated into the sky again. However, from the looks on their faces, they didn't know what was going on either.

The Hollows attacking now were just a coincidence, albeit a really pathetically annoying one.

'Let's go!'

Rukia told Orihime to hide and wait, before jumping after Renji and the others. Matsumoto had sensed her captain coming, so she dragged Ikkaku away as he tried to jump at Bikuta again.

'What luck,' Koru was drawling lazily, 'Now that they're busy, we can focus on _you_, Kurosaki,'

_They know me_, as he blocked the first blow, Ichigo's eyes widened, _What's going on?_

* * *

><p>'Sit Upon the Frozen Heavens! Hyorinmaru!' Toshiro suddenly appeared beside Bikuta, swinging his zanpakuto at the blue eyed man. The great ice dragon that flowed from the tip of the blade met the coffee coloured fire and slowly disintegrated.<p>

'Watch your back,' Kanashimi appeared behind Koru and slashed up along his back. The man jerked forwards to avoid her attack, but the movement carried him into Ichigo, who didn't hesitate in cutting a deep hole across his chest.

'That hurt,' rolling away, Koru stood up, green eyes thoughtful, and rubbed his gloved hand over his chest. The wound sealed up almost immediately.

Glaring, Ichigo jumped at him again and the pair resumed their lightning fast sparring.

Toshiro and Yuki turned to face Bikuta, who was gazing at the sky with an oddly spaced out expression on his face. The man seemed to realise he was being stared at and he blinked, katana materialising in his hand as he did so.

'Alright then,' there was a preoccupied tone to his voice, 'But I don't have long, so be quick,'

'Fine,' Toshiro leapt forwards, cutting out with Hyorinmaru, at the same time that Kanashimi swung Kuro-kyō Shinu Meikin, releasing the zanpakuto. Bikuta blocked both strikes and then a dark frown flitted across his features.

'Actually I changed my mind,' he turned to Koru, 'I don't have any time for you,'

And with that he jumped upwards, sending a wave of fire hurtling towards them.

Yuki raised her arm, 'Kesshō no Hansha,'

A paper thin shield of ice appeared in front of her blade and the fire was absorbed, shattering the barrier seconds later. As they looked up, Bikuta's katana was transforming into a lance, and he slashed across Ichigo's middle. Toshiro was about to follow when an overpowering nausea made him crumple to the ground limply. He noticed that Kanashimi was crouched, breathing heavily and getting paler by the second, a few metres away.

_What help are we,_ the thought was filled with accusation, _Urahara!_

* * *

><p>As the orange haired teenager stumbled backwards in the air, one hand coming up to press against his badly wounded stomach, Koru struck out again, the tip of his blade lacerating Ichigo's chest. Zangetsu rose to block the following attacks, but Ichigo's movements were slow and pained. The fire running through his veins, spreading out from the fresh wounds, was pulsing and burning. It felt like he was about to be incinerated.<p>

'We really don't have much time for you,' appearing behind him, and shifting the lance back into a katana, Bikuta slashed across Ichigo's back. The bloody line that resulted passed from one shoulder to the opposite hip and it was dangerously deep.

As the substitute shinigami tried to turn, just in case another similar attack was delivered, Koru reached out and grasped his shoulder, stopping the movement. He raised his arm and pressed the tip of the katana against Ichigo's chest, as if he was about to impale him, but then the blade shifted into a gun.

'Mission accomplished,' the confident, arrogant voice of Koru echoed through the air as a gunshot sounded, 'Target neutralised,'

* * *

><p>Author's Note:<p>

Ichigo . . . !


	46. Chapter 12: When I Feel Useless

_Chapter 12: When I Feel Useless_

'Ichigo!' Rukia's scream ripped through the air as the two smug men vanished from the sky. As the substitute shinigami tumbled from the air, hand only just hanging onto his zanpakuto, she leapt forwards, half catching him before he hit the ground.

Orihime ran over, ignoring the possible threat from the remaining Hollows. Kneeling, and raised her hands to her head, 'Soten Kisshun!'

As the rejection sphere formed over Ichigo's battered and bloody body, the others returned, puffed from their little skirmish with the Hollows. Taking one look at Kurosaki's body made them all blink, even Ikkaku.

Orihime stared at Ichigo's chest, where the gun had been resting. She couldn't work out why, but there was no hole, or any visible wound at that spot. But she'd heard the gunshot so she wasn't sure what was going on.

'Hey,' turning around, Matsumoto suddenly noticed that her captain was passed out on the grass, 'What's wrong with you, Captain?'

Since he was unconscious, Toshiro couldn't answer, but Kanashimi pulled herself to her feet and replied for him, 'Urahara gave us a new drug, one that was supposed to enable us to record anything we heard or saw,' she coughed in a sickly fashion, having reacted a little differently to the substance than Toshiro, 'But it has some,' sheathing her zanpakuto, the captain stumbled slightly, 'Problems,'

'I can see that,' Rangiku was concerned, but also privately amused and pitying. Both of the captains were quite proud shinigami, although nothing like Captain Kuchiki, so being unable to fight when such dangerous enemies were around must have been torture for them.

'Kurosaki!' Orihime's despairing cry made everyone turn back to face her.

Taking another look at Ichigo's still unmoving body, Ikkaku turned away again, 'Come on Yumichika, let's go,'

'You two!' Matsumoto's voice was disapproving but she didn't move to stop either of the Eleventh Division members as they walked away.

'Sorry, I have to go,' Uryu and Chad spoke at the same time, and then they both walked away. Uryu was frowning in a way that made everyone else expect that something to do with his father was on his mind, and Chad was just expressionless, trying not to think about the state his old friend was in.

'Let's take him back to Urahara's,' it was late afternoon so they needed to get moving, just in case the spontaneous shopkeeper decided to wander off somewhere.

'Renji,' Rukia ordered the Lieutenant about, making sure Ichigo was as comfortable as possible. Orihime stood, as her powers dissipated, and then walked beside the petite shinigami, following Abarai.

Ichigo seemed to be unconscious, or something, but he certainly wasn't awake. Matsumoto tried to work out what might have happened when that gun went off, but she couldn't figure it out.

_Damn those Hollows_, she was so angry, but at what, exactly, she didn't know, _We might've got one of those guys if it wasn't for them._

Halfway out of the field, she suddenly realised that both of the captains were still where they'd been before. Sighing self-consciously, the woman turned back and lifted Toshiro up. Then she offered an arm to Kanashimi who, after just a moment's hesitation, took it.

Then the three of them followed the others on the trip to Urahara Shoten.

* * *

><p>'This isn't good at all,' Urahara had administered the antidote to Toshiro and Yuki, and now he was speaking to both of them, 'He's gone into a coma,'<p>

'Coma?' Rangiku appeared at the doorway, standing at the front of Renji. Orihime and Rukia weren't leaving Ichigo's side, so they were the only others around the shop.

'That's right,' Urahara nodded seriously, casting aside his carefree persona, 'Kuchiki said it was a gun,'

'That's right,' Matsumoto and Renji moved into the room, sitting down and taking a cup of tea each.

Toshiro and Yuki remained silent. Both of them were now suffering from an intense sickening feeling that lodged itself in their throats, and it wasn't because of Urahara's miracle antidote. They were captains, and yet they'd been unable to do a single thing to help in the fight. Kurosaki was now injured so badly that some of the slashes still hadn't been rejected by Orihime's powers, _and _he was in a coma.

They both felt utterly useless and the whole day had been filled with constant attacks on their pride as captains.

Urahara's voice sounded again, 'Well it obviously wasn't loaded with your average bullet, or else Kurosaki would have a hole in his chest,' he shook his head, 'I'll have to work out what happened before I can invent something to help him. Hopefully the Soten Kisshun will work,'

A silence descended on the group, broken only with the sounds of people drinking tea.

* * *

><p>'Captain,' back in Orihime's apartment, Matsumoto approached Hitsugaya hesitantly, 'Captain?'<p>

They'd returned without Inoue herself, as the girl was adamant that she would stay and oversee the work of her ShunShun Rikka. The apartment seemed strangely empty without the constant bubbly presence of the teenager.

'Matsumoto?' Toshiro barely moved, once again under the table, and continued staring at the wall, noticing the tine cracks running up it.

'Are you alright?' Rangiku had seen what both captains were doing. One was here, under the table and pretending to be asleep, and the other was on the roof, probably standing on the railing, and trying to lose herself in the sights and sounds of Karakura Town at night.

She'd worked out that both of them were still coming to grips with the fact that they'd been completely useless in the fight. And she wasn't cross or annoyed with their behaviour. She understood, although many wouldn't believe it, how it felt to be useless, and not by one's own choice.

'Don't worry about Ichigo, he's strong so he'll pull through just fine,' she crouched down beside the table, 'And even if you weren't able to help in this fight, if my guess is correct, there's going to be a whole lot more in the near future,' she sighed, 'So don't blame yourself, Captain,'

Since there was silence and nothing else, Rangiku was about to prod her captain just to get a response, when she realised he was asleep. Smiling fondly, and recalling times in the past where she'd watched him sleeping, even back when he was in Junrinan, the Lieutenant sat down properly and sighed once more.

* * *

><p>Yuki had a choice. Inoue could keep using her powers to heal Ichigo, and she would most probably succeed in removing his physical wounds, but there was always something more than that.<p>

Still, to take in all of it, it was almost too much for her mind to comprehend. However, it was still easier to think about doing something than remember how useless she was feeling.

Kuchiki was worried sick, that much was obvious, and Inoue was in a state of constant alarm and nervous exhaustion. The pair of them were still sitting beside Ichigo's bed, Yuki was sure of it, and she was also sure that they wouldn't leave until their friend was up and running around again.

_The way they fought today_, her thoughts changed to Koru and Bikuta, _Their purpose was to injure Kurosaki. Not really anyone else, _she frowned darkly, _Why?_

That was the question that she hated the most.

_Why?_

If you needed to ask, then you didn't know. And if you didn't know, then things could always, always surprise you. She remembered seeing that Arrancar use sonido and not knowing how he could move so fast, how he could move fast enough to land devastating blows to her body in the space of the time she turned around.

That question had been, 'Why can he move so fast?'

But, at that point, the first question was, 'Why is his mask broken?'

She knew the answers to both of those questions now, but that strayed from her initial point.

Questions meant that there was a lack of knowledge.

So why had Koru and Bikuta really only targeted Kurosaki?

It mattered, but it wasn't the most important thing. The important thing was that Kurosaki Ichigo was badly injured and in a coma, and no one knew how to help.

That was a different lack of knowledge.

Yuki jumped down from the railing after one last glance at the drop before her.

She'd made up her mind.

* * *

><p>Author's Note:<p>

What's Yuki going to do?


	47. Chapter 13: Because I Care

_Chapter 13: Because I Care_

The next day, Toshiro woke up and found that no one was in the apartment. Matsumoto had left a note saying she was going to go and visit Ikkaku and Yumichika, but he suspected she still wanted to shop, and Kanashimi had vanished without a trace.

Sighing the white haired captain turned around and got ready to go. Where . . . he still hadn't decided, but anywhere seemed better than the empty apartment.

* * *

><p>Yuki moved through Karakura quickly, unhindered by her gigai, and soon she stood before Urahara Shoten. Her eyes were shaded and her steps quick and sure, as she opened the door and walked through to the room where she could sense three separate reiatsu. Pulling aside the screen, the captain glanced at Kuchiki Rukia and Inoue Orihime as they stared hard at Kurosaki's unmoving body. His skin was tinted gold by the glow of Orihime's rejection sphere, but he still looked terrible.<p>

Most of his skin wounds had healed up, and only a few deep ones remained. As he was on lying on his back, the long gash was hidden, but Yuki doubted that it had fully been rejected yet.

Rukia looked up and she was surprised to see the Third Division captain in the doorway. Kanashimi was definitely _not _Tessai, Renji or Urahara.

'Is something wrong?' the petite shinigami's voice crackled slightly as Rukia hadn't spoken all night, 'Captain Kanashimi?'

'Oh!' Orihime turned around, her bright smile notably absent from her face, 'Are you alright?'

The teenager could sense some disquiet in the air around the captain and she wondered what it meant.

Yuki tilted her head, gazing down at the two anxious figures, 'Please leave,'

It was a cruel thing to ask, considering how worried they were, but she didn't want them around.

'Oh,' this time the tone was different as the girl brushed back her burnt orange hair, 'Of course,' the rejection sphere faded from around Ichigo.

As she followed Orihime out, Rukia paused beside Kanashimi, who was still standing in the doorway, 'I'm trusting that you're going to _help _him,'

Yuki didn't answer as the other two walked away, then, once they were quite a distance away, she snapped her fingers, creating a barrier around the room she was in.

Walking over to Kurosaki, she knelt beside the bedding and held out her right arm. Then she slid her zanpakuto partially out of its sheath and pressed the cutting edge to Ichigo's limp arm. As a few beads of red formed from the slight wound, the captain pulled the blade a little further out and then whipped it free of the sheath.

As the blade passed out of its case, the cutting edge met Yuki's wrist and sliced down easily.

Shaking slightly and trying to ignore the pain, she sheathed the katana once more and then gazed at the blood pouring from the fresh wound. However, as soon as a single droplet left her skin, it disintegrated, and not one reached Ichigo's shihakusho.

She'd severed multiple blood vessels, major and minor, but she had to ignore the pain.

Already feeling slightly faint from blood loss, Yuki flicked the fingers of her good hand, and watched the kido light form around her slashed wrist.

Instantly grey reiatsu began flooding out from the small cut on Ichigo's arm and curling around her outstretched arm, channelling along until it reached the kido and the wound, where it seeped inside both.

_Ignore it. Ignore it. Ignore it._

If she'd been a human, then cutting an artery wasn't something to ignore. But, since she was doing what she felt needed to be done, there wasn't much else to do but ignore the agony and focus.

Brown eyes opened suddenly and Yuki glanced down at Ichigo, who was obviously still trying to orientate himself. The other visible wounds on his body were healing even as more and more of the grey spiritual pressure curled out from his arm.

'Yuki?' always one to ignore formality, Ichigo's words caused the captain to flinch, 'What are you doing?'

'You won't remember later,' her voice was distant and her expression blank, 'But I'm saving your life,'

'You look like you're trying to kill yourself, not save me,' having been at school the day Keigo had taken it upon himself to educate people about the dangerous of masochism, and cutting yourself if you thought that might help you, Ichigo's mind put two and two together and came up with a logical four.

Unfortunately for him, in this case, _four _was not the correct answer. Yuki was most definitely _not _cutting herself to relieve her stress, or something similar, she was cutting herself to give the grey reiatsu an opening.

She had figured that the reiatsu 'dissolved' into the blood of the wounded victim, and then it could be used later to create a response. In Renji, Ikkaku, and Yumichika's cases, the response had been seizures. The reiatsu couldn't be removed, not with kido, or with Inoue's Soten Kisshun. It could only be transferred, and to do that, it needed a place to go.

Thinking about the situation that way, Yuki realised that she was referring to the grey reiatsu as if it were a living thing, which it wasn't. It was just reiatsu that had been changed by the owner, to do a certain thing.

'I'm not being masochistic or anything of the sort,' her head was spinning now and Yuki was sure the ground was moving just a bit. There was a pause, and then, suddenly, she spoke again, without thinking, 'They wanted to be able to control you. They see you as a threat. Kurosaki, if that reiatsu is left in your veins, then you will never be able to fight them again,'

'Huh?' Ichigo could feel all of his wounds healing. All of them except a tiny cut on his arm.

Yuki suddenly blinked and shook her head, immediately regretting the action as it made the room swirl around her, and then she said, 'Kurosaki, you're about to fall asleep again,' at his questioning look, she added, 'You won't feel tired yet, but the energy that that reiatsu took from you will take a while to be replenished,' the cut on his arm faded, and the captain stood carefully, 'Since you woke in the time when you would normally have been unconscious, what has happened now won't stay in your memory,'

'So you _were_ saving me. And _not _trying to kill yourself?' he was just confirming, as he took in what she'd said.

A small smile touched her face, 'That's right,'

As his brown eyes closed and he exhaled heavily, Yuki turned and left the room, hiding her hand, which had thin rivulets of blood that running down it, in her sleeve which she protected with kido.

She stopped where Inoue and Kuchiki were waiting, 'You can you back, he's sleeping now,'

'Right!' unsure of what the Third Division captain had done, but glad that Ichigo was now just sleeping, both of them turned and rushed away, 'Thank you,'

'Don't be,' Yuki's words couldn't be heard at all as the shinigami turned and walked out of the shop.

* * *

><p>Toshiro was tired. He'd been running around the town all day, looking for Kanashimi, and he hadn't found a single sign of her. Being in a gigai wasn't helping either. Consequently, as he returned to Inoue's apartment for the fifth time, he discarded the fake body there, and then rushed off in shinigami form.<p>

Where was she?

He could only hope that the captain hadn't run into any trouble, as because of her low reiatsu output, in Karakura where there were some relatively decent spiritual pressures, she was almost impossible to find.

Sighing, the white haired captain jogged up the hill and then sat on the rail, staring at the twilight glow the sun created. It was so peaceful that he could almost, _almost_, forget all of the problems clamouring at his mind.

Movement behind him made Toshiro turn, and turquoise eyes widened as he watched Kanashimi descending the stairs. She seemed slightly unstable, and, on further inspection, he saw a possible reason why.

Her right arm, the one she wielded her zanpakuto with, was hanging limply by her side, and her fingers had dried crimson lines trailing down from her wrist. He wondered why as anything above her the back and front of her palm was hidden by the sleeve of her shihakusho. Her left arm was braced against her body, holding onto the other at the elbow, and her fingers were white against the black fabric.

'Why are you bleeding?' Toshiro was concerned, but his voice was cold and accusing, something he realised a second too late. Due to his personality, it was sometimes hard to change the tone he used, and normally he didn't need to vary from the distant cool. And, if his prediction was correct, she would take that intonation very seriously, putting it with his expression in an attempt to figure out his emotions.

Yuki's dark violet eyes flicked to his and there was something within the oddly coloured depths that the other captain couldn't identify. She stopped walking at the bottom of the steps and then her gaze changed, hardening and growing cold.

When she spoke, her tone was wintry, the icy bite making Toshiro flinch slightly, 'Because I care, _Captain Hitsugaya_,' she turned away again, eyes flashing darkly, 'Because I _care_,'

And then she was gone, vanishing with the cool breeze blowing down the hillside, and, for the first time that he could remember, Toshiro realised that he'd hated hearing his title.

* * *

><p>Author's Note:<p>

So there's now more information on the grey reiatsu . . . although still not much on the owners . . .

And Hitsugaya . . . it probably would'be been better to keep your mouth shut in this case


	48. Chapter 14: Coldness

_Chapter 14: Coldness_

Urahara peered at the different screens and papers around him, scribbling down a few more notes. He was close, he could sense it, but he also had the odd feeling that he was only ever going to discover a fraction of the truth.

There were so many confusing things, even for him, but he was going to persevere, at least while things were relatively quiet.

As another piece of data filed onto the screen, shaded eyes widened and Urahara stared in shock at the text, gaze flicking down to his desk as he read it out loud.

* * *

><p>'I don't get it!' Matsumoto was fighting with Rukia and Renji over the rules of some pointless game, 'It's not fair!'<p>

Ichigo, now in full health, was also arguing with the three of them, and even Orihime was adding things when she found the opportunity. Although she seemed more interested in what she was eating. After all, if you saw the teenager in the street, you wouldn't exactly pick her for someone who liked arguing unnecessarily.

Sitting at the table, the twitch above Toshiro's eye was quickening. It was impossible to control them and idiotic to try. He'd heard that the Eleventh Division members had gone Hollow hunting, and that Ishida was doing _something _with his father, and that Yasutora was doing . . . _something _too, and he found himself wishing that this lot would go and do _something_ as well. Preferably out of the apartment.

Yesterday, a Saturday, had been a disaster. Everyone was either trying to talk to Ichigo, or just be plain annoying. Matsumoto had almost broken all of the dishes in Orihime's kitchen, Rukia had beaten up Renji . . . twice, and everyone else was just being crazy.

Sometime today, they were all supposed to return to the Soul Society to finish up the final preparations for the celebrations, and then tomorrow the partying would begin. Toshiro found himself getting a headache at the mere thought of parties.

Still, anything was better than thinking about the captain of the Third Division. No one had seen her the day before, and she was still gone and it was almost midday.

As the thought finished its progress from the depths of his mind, the door opened and Kanashimi Yuki walked in.

Toshiro noted that there was a bandage, albeit a strangely colour inverted one, wrapped around her hand, and he wondered why she hadn't just healed herself. Then again, he didn't even know _how _she'd been injured in the first place, all he'd seen was the dried blood.

'Captain Kanashimi!' Matsumoto, a woman of many talents, was sure she could feel an icy wind blowing between the two captains, despite that fact that they hadn't even glanced at each other. Still, stepping onto the place where the theoretical line would be, her hair wasn't been blown aside, so she wondered if she'd got it wrong.

'Matsumoto,' Yuki's voice was a couple of degrees cooler than usual, but apart from that, she seemed to be acting completely normal.

The Third Division captain moved over to the wall and leant against it, idly fiddling with her black bandage. Her eyes were narrowed slightly as if she were in a bit of pain, or perhaps it was in annoyance.

'Are you injured?' Rangiku suddenly noticed the wrapped cloth and she instantly mentioned it, being who she was and having her personality.

Lavender eyes met pale blue and the silent but deadly warning that flashed through the captain's gaze was enough to have Matsumoto shaking. The Lieutenant shook her head and immediately left the room, muttering something about being hungry.

Rukia moved over to Kanashimi, smiling but slightly hesitant as she'd seen what had just happened to Matsumoto, 'Thank you for,' she didn't actually know what the captain had done, 'Healing Ichigo,'

Yuki nodded slightly, her face losing some of its tension. If Kuchiki and Inoue were glad, then it was worth something. And Kurosaki seemed to be in full health. It was a good sign.

As Rukia moved away, a sudden feeling of burning rippled along the veins in Yuki's right arm. It wasn't a hot burn, like true fire, but it wasn't cold either. Still, it was painful and most certainly uncomfortable. She gritted her teeth and tried to remain in the exact same position as before, suppressing her reiatsu at the same time just in case it gave her away. For some reason, however, she had the feeling that there would be one person in this apartment who wouldn't need to feel her reiatsu just to work out that something was wrong.

Cursing her decision to return, Yuki's left hand clenched harder on her right arm and she silently wished for time to pass quickly so that they could all return to the Seireitei and be immersed in the bustle there. She would be so much harder to notice in a place where things were happening, and happening fast.

Thoughts drifting to her Division, the captain wondered if Kira was coping with the decoration making. As she pondered that, the pain in her arm lessened and she relaxed a fraction.

_See you soon, _the words were half for Izuru, and half just for herself, _Kira_.

* * *

><p>Toshiro was frowning darkly, staring at a wall. There was something <em>wrong <em>about something, but he couldn't work out what the something was to work out what was wrong. Getting confused by his own thought processes, the white haired captain shook his head and sighed deeply.

Suddenly sensing a drop in reiatsu from the other side of the room, and knowing that it was Kanashimi, Toshiro blinked. Focusing now, he tried to work out what might have caused such a thing to happen. All he could sense was a flicker of discomfort and self-directed annoyance.

_She's still cross_, he figured that that was the reason for her earlier coldness towards Matsumoto, and he hadn't missed the illusory exchange of coldness that had sprung up between them when she'd entered the apartment, _And I still don't know why._

He'd worked out that it was something to do with the tone in which he'd questioned her two days ago, but he couldn't work out a way to apologise for such a thing, if he even needed to.

Glancing at the clock, which read 12:30, the Tenth Division captain stood, 'Everyone! We're supposed to be going now,'

'Right!' Matsumoto suddenly opened the door, revealing herself and the two Eleventh Division members, 'I just went to get these slackers,'

'Watch it-,' Ikkaku was stopped by one of the coldest glares he'd even encountered. The turquoise of a certain captain's gaze was perfect for portraying such an icy expression.

'Let's _go_,' the light stress on the second word made everyone jump up and rush about in a hurry, discarding gigais and throwing things all over the room.

'Yes sir!' the combined shout was almost too loud for such a crowded space and Toshiro turned to walk out the door, trying to stay calm.

* * *

><p>'See you guys soon!' Ichigo stood leaning against a tree as the shinigami entered the Senkaimon, 'Although trouble seems to follow you everywhere,'<p>

'Hey,' Rukia was indignant, 'Not true! We just follow trouble,'

'Same thing,' Ichigo sighed and shook his head, as if in exasperation.

'You're lucky I've got somewhere I need to go or else you'd be dead,' indigo eyes were very dangerous when they met brown ones, 'Anyway,' the petite shinigami sighed, 'See you later, Ichigo,' she smiled, 'Orihime,'

'Hurry up,' Renji was the only one who hadn't yet passed through the gate, 'The others have all gone,' he scratched his head, 'They seem a little tense,'

'Later,' waving, the last two shinigami walked through the Senkaimon and the doors slid shut.

Ichigo sighed, knowing that if they _did _return, which they were sure to, then there would be dangerous battles just around the corner. He shoved his hands deep in his pockets and tried not to think about anything possibly risky. After failing miserably, the teenager just sighed again and turned to leave.

* * *

><p>Inside his laboratory, Urahara Kisuke looked up from his documents and samples, a shocked expression on his face. His hands were twitching like they felt they should be doing something.<p>

When the man spoke, his tone was distant, but strangely loud in the silent room, echoing ever so slightly off the different pieces of equipment.

'Impossible,'

* * *

><p>Author's Note:<p>

So everyone's going back for a while . . .

And what's Urahara discovered now?


	49. Chapter 15: Why

_Chapter 15: Why_

'You're all back!' a cheerful, happy voice greeted the group as they emerged in the Seireitei. Blinking a few times to adjust to the new lighting, the figure of Ukitake Jushiro was revealed, standing a few metres away.

There was snow on the ground and Toshiro groaned quietly, wondering just what state he was going to find the rest of the Seireitei in. Sure his Division could keep the streets cleared and stop too much snow building up in treetops and on rooftops, but what about the sculptures?

_It'll be s-,_ he didn't even want to think it, but he gritted his teeth and continued, _I'll go back and find the courtyard filled with s-snowmen._

The mental image did nothing to help his state of mind so he immediately beckoned Matsumoto, 'Let's go,' turning to Ukitake, he added, 'Sorry,'

As the captain and Lieutenant of the Tenth Division rushed off, everyone else paused for a moment.

Ikkaku suddenly sensed something that made him feel excited, 'Yumichika! Let's go!'

Zaraki's reiatsu pulsed again and then both the Third and Fifth Seats vanished in search of their captain.

'What's he doing this time?' Renji was twitching, although he didn't know why.

'It doesn't matter,' Rukia knew that it _did _matter to a few of the shinigami around the Seireitei, but that wasn't what was top on her mental list at that moment.

'Kuchiki,' Ukitake addressed her kindly, 'Are you coming back to the Division now? We still have some work to do,'

'Of course!' bowing, the petite shinigami left with her captain, but not before sending a glare at Renji. It was one that clearly said 'don't annoy my Nii-sama, or else'.

Realising that he had been left alone with the Third Division captain, Renji suddenly felt very nervous and awkward, 'Uh,'

'Go to your Division,' it was an order, 'Don't waste any time,'

'Yes sir!' not pausing to debate over whether he should say anything else, the red headed Lieutenant used shunpo to vanish.

Yuki waited a while longer, collecting her thoughts. Realising that Kira was sure to ask about her bandage, she hesitantly unwrapped it and then peered at the wound. The line was still a nasty shade of crimson and the captain found herself wondering how she hadn't bled to death, seeing as she'd cut some major blood vessels.

_No, it's going to need to stay_, sighing, she wound the cloth around her wrist and hand again, securing it carefully. She felt the grey reiatsu flowing through her veins pulse, but this time it wasn't pain that resulted. Instead, a cool feeling flowed down her right arm.

Not hesitating to think whether or not that feeling was good or bad, the captain vanished in the direction of her Division.

* * *

><p>When Toshiro saw the first snowman, he almost had a heart attack. He wasn't against <em>snowmen<em> in general, but ever since a certain incident a couple of years back, which of course involved Matsumoto and sake, he'd disliked them intensely.

Walking into the Tenth Division courtyard, with Matsumoto skipping around him in ovals, Toshiro stared, a mixture of relief and annoyance, at the scene before him.

There were only two other snowmen, and those were going to be sent to other Divisions anyway, and that was what caused the white haired captain's relief. But the annoyance came from the fact that, although the rooftops and trees looked alright, no one had even considered the courtyard itself. Glancing around, turquoise eyes noted with some satisfaction that the nearby streets were relatively snow free, but that was about it.

'Clear this out now,' at the sound of their captain's voice, everyone rushed to their stations, armed with snow shovels and the likes, and began speedily clearing out the courtyard.

Toshiro sighed as he went to stand on the portico. He knew that Hyorinmaru was much quicker with creating snow sculptures and he wondered if he should talk to the zanpakuto spirit about the situation. After all, they only had the afternoon to finish all of the pre-ordered ice features.

Somehow, he wished the members of his Division could do other things with snow that weren't clearing it away or making _snowmen_. It would make his job a lot easier as the whole bulk of the work could be shared.

'Matsumoto,' the Lieutenant bounded over, unhindered by the snow, 'Would you get me the orders from the other Divisions?'

'Sure Captain!' seeing that he was stressed, Rangiku didn't wander as she hurried to get the paperwork.

* * *

><p>'Kira,' the blonde man jumped when he heard a voice directly behind him, 'How are the lanterns going?'<p>

'Captain!' finally recognising the voice, Izuru spun around, a huge smile on his face, 'Brilliantly, actually,' he led the way into a large open room, 'See,'

The members of the Third Division were sitting in rows along long tables. They each had a half-finished lantern in front of them and they were all working diligently.

Haruko suddenly noticed the captain and she straightened, smiling brightly, 'Look! Captain Kanashimi!'

Everyone turned at that and grinned at Yuki. There was a pause, and then they all spoke at once, asking, telling and _yelling_ whatever they thought was appropriate.

Kira only managed to calm them all down after a few minutes and a couple of binding spells.

'I can see that everyone's been working hard,' looking at the lanterns a bit closer, Yuki realised that she'd seen hundreds of them around the Seireitei already. Each had been protected by a kido barrier just in case it snowed, and they also appeared to be lit by kido.

'Oh, that's right we have,' someone began howling with laughter and a few others grinned wolfishly, 'We thought it would be a nice surprise and all,'

'Of course,' Yuki couldn't help the faint smile that appeared on her face at the enthusiasm of the normally cynical shinigami, 'Have you been enjoying yourselves?'

'Well, I for one can say this,' someone stood up, hand on hips and a false frown on his face, 'If I see another lantern, then I'm going to go insane!'

Although it was kind of random, everyone just started chuckling again and Yuki assumed that it must either be excitement for the coming celebrations, or madness.

'Kira,' turning, the captain led her Lieutenant out into the courtyard, intent on directing where the 'special' lanterns needed to be placed.

* * *

><p>Yoruichi yawned widely, not bothering to cover her mouth, as she pulled open the door of Urahara Shoten. She'd been out and about, doing some lazy training and Hollow hunting, and then taking a quick trip to the Soul Society, but now she was back, and she was <em>tired<em>. Not to mention starving.

Sauntering into the kitchen, the purple haired woman yanked open the refrigerator and peered inside. The items inside were mostly unusual, and Yoruichi cursed Tessai's strange tastes. Still, she found enough to make herself a half decent meal, and then, once she'd finished, she walked off to find Urahara himself.

As she opened the door to one of the sitting rooms, golden eyes fell on Kisuke as the shopkeeper sat at the table in deep thought, 'Kisuke?'

Looking up, Urahara took in Yoruichi standing in the doorway and sighed, beckoning her in. The woman sat down at the opposite side of the table and then, seeing his untouched cup of tea, she reached across and stole it, taking a large gulp.

Since her old friend wasn't talking, Yoruichi just sat and waited, knowing she wouldn't have to sit for long, and wondering how dark it was getting outside.

_It's even scheduled to snow_, she remembered seeing it on a paper, _I wonder if it'll happen tonight. After all, the Soul Society has had snow for a couple of days now._

When Kisuke suddenly leaned back a bit, staring at her from the shadow his hat created, Yoruichi sat back too and then she kept waiting, silently.

Sighing again, but much deeper, the shopkeeper spoke thoughtfully, 'I admire her,' he paused and then added, 'I truly do,'

Guessing that he meant Kanashimi, Yoruichi tilted her head to one side, sipping her tea. She knew that if she wanted more information, she was going to have to ask.

'Why?'

'Her mind is like a broken mirror. Filled with cracks and missing pieces, but still reflecting the outside world, keeping it at a distance,' Kisuke shook his head slightly, as if in wonder, or perhaps it was pity, 'And yet she's still alive and sane,'

Yoruichi sat straighter, leaning forwards slightly as she rested the cup against the table, 'Broken mirror? Strange analogy, Kisuke,'

'A broken mirror or a paper thin sheet of ice,' Urahara's tone was surprisingly serious, 'The ice would_ only_ be because, once its broken, it's almost impossible to put back together without melting it and reforming it. And even then, it would never be the same,' he clenched a hand, 'Actually no, scrap the ice idea, it's wrong. There _would be no way to reform _it,'

The woman opposite him stared, trying to work out whether or not her long-time friend was joking, 'Mirrors and now ice? And _now _not ice?' she snorted slightly, 'You're not making any sense,'

'No, no,' the man shook his head again, talking now as if he hadn't heard her, 'When her soul passed from the World of the Living to the Soul Society, the transition was fast, but it was _wrong_,' his hand tightened on his cane, 'Something went wrong,' closing his eyes briefly, he continued, 'She didn't appear in the same time she'd left the Human World, instead, I'd say she arrived a little in the past. Since her human death, or perhaps even before it, her mind his been slowly breaking. I can't say if it was the pressure of being sent back through time, or just memories,' he released the cane and flicked open his fan instead, 'I'd be willing to bet she's relived some of her memories, but her mind is still _dangerous_. There's something more,'

There was a pause as if Urahara was gathering his thoughts together once more, 'If my predictions are correct, then she should have had a literal mental breakdown and lost control of her reiatsu by now. Something should have triggered a response where she would lose that tight control over her spiritual pressure,'

'What?' the whole thing was getting more and more unbelievable with every word Kisuke spoke, but Yoruichi knew the signs of then the shopkeeper was lying, and she wasn't seeing any of those now. All she saw was humming tension and worry.

'So why is she still sane? Still able to continue living and fighting as a shinigami captain?' he continued on as if she hadn't spoken once again, eyes well shaded by his hat, 'What's keeping her mind together when it should have broken a while ago. Why, why Yoruichi?' he was practically talking to himself, 'Why is she still alive?'

_Why, _the word echoed in the golden eyed woman's head, _Why, _she blinked slowly, _Kisuke, you hate that word. Don't you._

* * *

><p>Author's Note:<p>

Information on Kanashimi from Urahara . . .

Everyone in the Soul Society is still preparing for those celebrations, it seems kind of odd considering the circumstances . . .


	50. Chapter 16: Celebrations Begin

_Chapter 16: Celebrations Begin_

'It's party time! Yay!'

It was _very _early in the morning. It was a _very _chilly morning. It was supposed to be a _very _relaxing morning.

Cracking open his eyes and breathing in the cool air, Toshiro sat up and cast about for Matsumoto's reiatsu. Sensing that she was definitely nearby, as if the shout wasn't enough, the white haired captain stood and picked up his zanpakuto.

The Tenth Division was slightly behind schedule on the delivery side of things. The Second, Third and Sixth Divisions still hadn't received their ordered ice sculptures and something had to be done about that.

Striding out of the barracks and to the offices, Toshiro paused to survey the loading of the sculptures, 'Hurry, but don't break anything,' his tone was stressed as he watched one man almost drop his load.

'Heya, Captain!' Matsumoto attempted to pounce on him but Toshiro dodged. When Rangiku returned to his side, her pale blue eyes were _glowing _with excitement, and her grin was about to split her face in half.

'Good morning, Matsumoto,' the white haired captain kept his calm through pure willpower, 'What are you planning to do today?'

'Well, I heard that there was going to be a few friendly competitions around the place and so I was going to take Izuru and Hisagi to a drinking one!' she was so _bubbly_ that she may as well have been a can of soft drink from the Human World.

Toshiro could still recall the time when she'd shaken a bottle and then dropped it as they were walking through a busy street. The resulting mess had covered at least ten people with sticky soda of some sort and he'd been absolutely drenched. She, however, had used a passing businessman as a shield and had only been lightly splattered. Really . . . typical.

Shaking his head to dispel the memory, the captain sighed, 'Fine, go. I don't want you knocki-,'

Before he could finish speaking, Rangiku stepped backwards, and right into one of the shinigami carrying a sculpture. There was a great shattering sound, followed by a muffled thud, and then the woman jumped up off the ground.

'Knocking anything over,' Toshiro finished in a defeated tone, wondering just which ice figure had been broken. Picking up the tag, he realised, with some trepidation, that it had once been a koi for Kuchiki Byakuya.

'Ah, Captain?' as the shinigami who'd been knocked over had bolted, Rangiku was the one to approach Toshiro again, 'What's wrong?'

Turquoise eyes were deadly as they bored into Matsumoto's head, 'You need to go to Kuchiki and apologise for breaking his koi sculpture,'

The woman gulped audibly and shook her head, 'No way! I'll come back in hundreds of tiny pieces!'

'Your problem, not mine,' Toshiro turned to walk away, knowing that he was going to have to make another figure as Matsumoto would definitely _not _go to the Kuchiki manor and deliver that message.

'Captain!' the shrill complaint made him wince, but he didn't stop walking.

* * *

><p>'Okay! We're all good,' Izuru sighed as the final Division insignia was put up on one of the thirteen high poles that had been erected to make a large ring around the centre of the Seireitei. The 'special' lanterns were huge, and each one was made to represent the flower insignia of each of the thirteen Divisions.<p>

Izuru couldn't help but feel proud as he craned his neck to look at the glowing marigold, high in the sky. Although the Third Division's flower signified despair, it still looked nice.

After some debate amongst the Third Division members, it had been decided that each of the insignia lanterns should be lit with the colour of its respective Division. _Then _the debate had been whether or not azure was still the Third Division's colour, seeing as they had a new captain and the inside of her haori was definitely _not _blue. And finally they'd decided to light it with dark grey, and beat up anyone who disagreed.

And despite Izuru's protests, someone from the Fourth Division had already received a black eye after saying that they got the colour wrong.

'Kira!' Yuki appeared beside her Lieutenant, wondering why he was just staring at the sky with a tear in his left eye, and she paused, 'What are you doing?'

'Oh, Captain,' he was smiling, something that still caused murmurs among the shinigami of the Third Division, as they were really the only ones to witness it, and he quickly wiped his eye, 'What do you think? Pretty impressive right?'

Grasping Kira's arm, Yuki used a couple of quick shunpo to appear high in the sky, looking out over the Seireitei's centre. The view was beautiful, with the lanterns, lit even though it was still morning, and the snow. A little further over, she could see the pink of cherry blossom trees, and she could imagine what it would be like actually down there.

Lavender eyes fell on each insignia lantern, studying the glowing flowers intently, 'You're right, Kira,' her voice sounded like a sigh, 'This is wonderful,'

Grinning, and glad no one was here to see it, Izuru pointed to the Sogyoku Hill, which was still a long distance from the lantern poles, right in the centre of the Seireitei, 'I heard the other day that the shinigami from the Tenth Division had to get special permits just to clear the snow off there,' he remembered the explosion, 'But then someone blew up a Shakkaho and there wasn't any left to clean,'

He didn't exactly know why he told that story, but he was too excited to care much. And even though he knew Rangiku would appear sometime and drag him off, he wanted to spend some calm moments with his captain.

'Blew up a Shakkaho?' Yuki had an odd suspicion as to who that might have been, but she couldn't work out why Renji would have been on Sogyoku Hill.

'That's right,' the blonde man jumped as Matsumoto suddenly appeared before them, one hand already gripping Hisagi's arm firmly, 'Uh, y-you,'

'I have work to do!' Shuuhei's protests were very obviously half-hearted, 'Unlike you I don't have a captain to do my work for me,'

'Come on!' Rangiku ignored the other Lieutenant and took Izuru's hand, 'Let's go,' turning to Kanashimi, she added, 'And you lot did great work with those lanterns!'

Yuki saw the fear on Kira's face, but she decided that he should probably have a break from working. After all, apart from a couple of things, he'd practically managed the whole Division.

'Sorry, Kira,' she smiled slightly, 'Have fun,'

'I can't believe this,' as he was dragged away, the blonde Lieutenant sighed deeply.

Yuki couldn't help but laugh slightly at the antics of the trio.

* * *

><p>'Captain Kanashimi!' Yuki stopped when she heard her name being called out in an enthusiastic and <em>young <em>voice. Turning, her violet gaze fell on Hinamori Momo as the Lieutenant ran over.

'How are you?' it was a politely asked question, but Yuki could tell that the girl wanted to ask something else.

'Fine,' she waited, wondering what Hinamori was about to tell her.

'Come and have lunch with us,' Momo was suddenly nervous, having heard a couple of Matsumoto's stories about how _scary _Captain Kanashimi could be, 'Captain Unohana organised it,'

'Right,' deciding that it was worth risking it and just going, instead of being hunted down with an anaesthetic later, Yuki followed the shinigami to the Fifth Division, where she saw all of the members of the Shinigami Women's Assocation, minus Rangiku, gathered.

'Good to see you here!' Kuchiki seemed slightly _not _her usual self, and the Third Division captain wondered why. She noticed Isane tucking something into a bag and wondered is that had been the anaesthetic she'd been concerned about.

'Are you alright?' walking further into the grassy area, Yuki glanced at Rukia again.

'F-fine,' although she stumbled over the word, the shinigami didn't seem to be drunk.

'What happened?' turning to Nanao, as she was hoping to get a straight answer from the Eight Division Lieutenant, Yuki sighed.

'Don't eat the little cakes there,' adjusting her glasses, the woman gestured to a plate of food, 'They've got something in them that makes you act like _that_,' she then pointed at Rukia, who was now lying face first on the ground and trying to sing at the same time, while waving her hands above her head like . . . rabbit ears.

'Why?' Yuki hoped she would be able to get what she meant across to the other shinigami.

'Probably someone's great idea of how to make people who don't drink, act drunk,' Soifon's short voice broke in and the other captain turned to her.

'Oh, right,' it _was _a strange idea, Yuki thought.

Soifon fidgeted suddenly and then turned to face the violet eyes captain again, 'Hey,' she paused, self-consciously rubbing her hands together, 'While you were in the World of the Living, did you happen to see Yoruichi-sama?'

'Yes, just once,' Yuki could remember the purple haired woman commenting on her shunpo.

'Ah,' unsure of how to continue, Soifon just fell silent and then she sighed.

Wondering if something was wrong, Yuki just settled back and waited until the whole thing was over.

* * *

><p>As twilight descended on the Soul Society, more and more people began massing in the streets, singing, laughing and shouting out randomly as they moved along without any real purpose. The lanterns were now clearly visible and they lit up the paths and sky beautifully.<p>

Yuki was moving through some of the almost empty laneways, trying to avoid the crowds, and she was so preoccupied with trying to work out whether or not Kira was alright, that she didn't stop to sense if anyone was coming before turning a corner. Consequently, when she stepped around it, she ran straight into someone and both of them fell down immediately, waraji slipping on the damp, cold ground.

As she rose, bracing herself against the wall, Yuki realised that the shinigami she'd crashed into was Hitsugaya Toshiro. Not really thinking, she held out her hand and helped the other captain up.

Then there was a pause, in which both shinigami stared at each other warily, and then a cheerful shout rang out.

'C-captain! Where are you?'

Recognising Matsumoto's voice instantly, and wondering what the woman had done with _her_ Lieutenant, Yuki sent Toshiro a questioning glance.

The white haired captain looked slightly panicked, and then he pointed to the street before them and mouthed 'run'. Not hesitating to think, both of them raced off, running as carefully as they could to avoid slipping again.

As they turned into another alley, Toshiro spoke quickly, 'Don't stop running. Matsumoto's got plans and I _don't _want to be part of them. And now she's,' he skidded around another bend, 'Chasing me with snowballs,'

Yuki couldn't help but find that a little bit funny, 'What type of plans?' she knew she could just use shunpo and leave the other captain with his little problem, but she didn't.

'S-snowmen,' Toshiro hated how he still couldn't say the word straight out. He wondered how, running like this, the previous cold between them had vanished again.

'Snowmen?' it sounded even funnier than the snowballs.

'Yes,' the white haired captain gritted his teeth.

He was about to explain, when Matsumoto burst around a corner in front of them and tried to grab him, almost dropping her armful of snowballs. Thankfully she was slightly drunk, although definitely not as much as he would have expected, so he was able to dodge.

Both captains pushed passed the confused Lieutenant and kept running, hearing her following again and watching as badly aimed spheres of snow splattered onto the ground around them. This time they focused on avoiding her and remained silent.

* * *

><p>'Woah!' Kuchiki Rukia was about to step through one of the entrances to the grounds around the Kuchiki manor, but then two captains slid to a halt in front of her. The petite shinigami blinked as she recognised Hitsugaya and Kanashimi, and she almost dropped the box of food she was carrying in her shock.<p>

'What are you two doing?' she sounded as surprised as she felt, and consequently she forgot to be polite.

'Matsumoto,' despite all the running, neither of them was out of breath, 'She's trying to catch-,'

Rukia got the idea and cut Toshiro off by grabbing his arm and dragging the white haired captain through the gate, pulling Kanashimi after her as well, 'Come on!' she was hissing now, 'Follow me, I know a place where you can hide,'

'Really?' it seemed ridiculous, hiding from your own Lieutenant, but Toshiro knew that Matsumoto could be dangerous when she was drunk, 'Thank you,'

'Don't mention it,' remembering the few incidents she'd had with Rangiku, Rukia shook her head, 'And I owe Kanashimi for healing me,' her voice was a little more serious when she added, 'And Ichigo,'

Leading the way to a place where one of the buildings that she knew had a secret room under it, Rukia couldn't help but grin. When there were parties and celebrations, the most interesting and unexpected things could happen.

'Here,' stepping up onto the portico, the petite shinigami set down her box and opened a trapdoor in the wooden floor, 'I'll find out where she is and then come back, alright?'

'Thank you,' this time Yuki nodded at her and then leapt down into the small room with easy agility.

The good thing about this building was that, because it was raised off the ground, there was about a one metre high space underneath, blocked off with horizontal boards. Most of that space had been filled in except for a small square, the place that Rukia was directing the captains to now. From the room below, they would be able to see out through gaps in the boards, and watch people walking past. Since this was also relatively near the main buildings of the Kuchiki manor, then there might well be quite a few passing shinigami.

'See you soon, promise,' Rukia rose and shut the door, and then she hurried off, intent on finding Matsumoto quickly so she could release the two captains.

* * *

><p>Author's Note:<p>

Unexpected things, yes, definitely . . . and what _was _Renji doing on Sogyoku Hill?


	51. Chapter 17: A Snowman Tale and Laughter

_Chapter 17: A Snowman Tale + Laughter_

Sitting in the dark, staring out at the bright lights and cheerful crowds, Yuki couldn't help but feel amused. This was the Kuchiki manor, and she was sitting under the floor and spying on people. To complete the equation, she was there all because of Matsumoto, and the woman's crazy ideas.

Suddenly remembering, she turned to Toshiro and asked, 'Snowmen?'

Jumping slightly, having gone into a distant universe for a while, the white haired captain shrugged and said, 'Matsumoto has a fascination with them. One day I came back to the Division and they were everywhere, even on the rooftops. Then I couldn't find any of the members of my Division and it turned out that Matsumoto had put everyone in a snowman,'

It was a ridiculous story, but true all the same, sighing, he continued, 'She was drunk, and she'd made a huge mess in my office with sake,' frowning, he had to pause before finishing the tale, 'Anyway, she'd done something to everyone so I couldn't sense their reiatsu, and so when she woke up, she came out and said something like _attack non-snowmen and eliminate them all_ and then all of the snowmen started moving. They weren't actually trying to do what she said, it was just that they'd all fallen asleep, gotten frostbite, and then finally woken up when they heard her voice, and they wanted to get out,' he covered his face with his hands, 'So there were all these snowmen popping into people and then Unohana had to send a whole team of her Division just to help clean up,' leaning forward so that his head was resting against the wood, he added, 'And the worst part was that Matsumoto didn't remember anything later,'

Yuki stared out at the passing people and turned Hitsugaya's story over in her head. It _did _sound crazy, but it also sounded like something Matsumoto Rangiku would definitely do. Still, she didn't say anything, and hid her smile behind her sleeve.

Noticing the black bandage still wrapped around her hand, Toshiro decided to ask about it, 'What happened to your hand?'

'Wrist,' she didn't speak harshly when she corrected him, 'I cut myself,'

Toshiro, quite understandably, took that the same way Ichigo had, and he blinked in shock, 'You what?'

Yuki didn't explain, she just remained silent, eyes shifting to the camellia high on its pole in the sky.

* * *

><p>A short while later, a more familiar tread sounded and Hinamori Momo came into view, casting around looking for something, or someone. Both captains could clearly hear what she was muttering, and it was something about Matsumoto.<p>

Suddenly the Lieutenant paused mid-step, and Toshiro was sure she'd sensed him, but then she shook her head and continued onwards, not looking back.

'She'd better look out,' the white haired captain felt concerned for the girl's safety on reflex, 'Matsumoto's in a pretty dangerous state right now,'

'You're right,' Yuki nodded, but then she stopped, sensing another familiar presence approaching, 'Look, its Kira,'

As the blonde man came into view, both captains blinked in surprise. He was supporting Hisagi, or perhaps _dragging_ was a better word, and singing at the top of his lungs. No doubt Rangiku was also looking for these two.

'Happy days!' he screamed the two words and then went back to chanting whatever song he'd got in his head. Hisagi, on the other hand, didn't stir once, but he was still half-walking, so he wasn't unconscious.

'There's really a lot of people in the Kuchiki estate at the moment,' as Yuki spoke, she felt a wave of cold, dark fury rushing towards them.

As Toshiro blinked in surprise, wondering just _who _would be so angry on a celebration day, apart from him, Kuchiki Byakuya appeared. He was frowning in a fierce way and his slate grey eyes were hard and dangerous.

As he passed, both of the other captains hid their reiatsu and stayed as still as possible, neither really wanting to know the consequences of being found hiding where they were hiding.

'Captain! Izuru? Hisagi!' Matsumoto's voice carried easily over all the noise, and Toshiro found himself surprisingly glad that Kuchiki had already used his impressive shunpo to vanish from the area, just in case his Lieutenant had annoyed the man somehow.

'Look out,' Yuki spoke very softly as she stared at Rangiku's figure, moving steadily closer.

'You lot are so mean!' that part was said in a whining tone, and she looked heartbroken. Seconds later, she was grinning ferociously again and yelling out their names once more.

'Tra la la la!' Izuru suddenly came back over, now definitely dragging Hisagi, and then the blonde man noticed Rangiku, 'Tra la _oh no_,'

'There you are!' shrieking out in joy, Matsumoto pounced on him, sending all three of them flying, 'Oh Hisagi! Guess what? I'm going to make a snowman!'

'And then put him in it,' Toshiro wasn't sure whether or not he should go and help the unconscious Lieutenant, as if everyone in the Seireitei got frostbite from Matsumoto's ongoing snowman scheme, then he'd probably be in trouble for not stopping her.

'Izuru,' leaning towards the man, Rangiku smiled sweetly, 'Actually, let's take him back to the Ninth Division,'

As the trio vanished again, Yuki couldn't help but release a sigh of relief. She suddenly spotted Rukia walking over, but then the petite shinigami was kidnapped right before their eyes, and taken away by Renji, who sounded like he thought he was a mafia boss kidnapping for a ransom. Who knew what _he'd _eaten.

Before anything too extreme could happen, Byakuya appeared and took his sister from his Lieutenant, glaring at the latter, and then he directed Rukia to somewhere safe.

Both captains noticed the worried look the shinigami cast over her shoulder as she was led away from them once more.

'Oh dear,' Toshiro knew he was going to get a headache, he just _knew _it.

Before he could stand up and forcefully break his way out, Matsumoto appeared again, rolling a rather large snowball. Yuki could dimly sense Kira's reiatsu and she hoped her Lieutenant wasn't inside that ice sphere.

'Kira-,' her tone was concerned as she watched Rangiku continue rolling the ball away.

* * *

><p>Seconds later, Rangiku walked right back, but this time without the snowball. She was singing and dusting her hands off, feeling the snow melt on her hands.<p>

_Where is the captain? _she thought in annoyance, _I've tucked Hisagi into bed, I've made Izuru a nice new home, and now I want to make a snowman for the captain. _

Muttering angrily now, she stormed past the hiding place of the two captains.

Toshiro heard his name mentioned a few times and he was glad he hadn't emerged, because he'd also heard the word 'snowman'.

In the short period of time after Matsumoto had left, there were quite a few more familiar faces that passed.

Momo wandered by, eating something innocently, and humming.

Soifon snuck past with a cat shaped rice ball, looking incredibly suspicious.

Ukitake and Kyoraku had also walked by, the latter being supported by his very angry Lieutenant.

Unohana and a small medical team had also rushed through the Kuchiki grounds to the site of some accident.

Byakuya had also done another lap of the grounds, but it seemed like he was only succeeding in stressing himself out. The expression on his face changed each time he stormed coldly by.

'Look, there he goes again,' Yuki wasn't tired, despite the late hour, but she was finding the whole thing hilarious by this point, 'Just look at his face,'

Captain Kuchiki did indeed look quite interesting. His eyes were filled with fury, his mouth was set in a hard line, his shoulders were tense, and his hand was clenched on the hilt of his zanpakuto.

Toshiro couldn't help but wonder if this man was the reason for Unohana and the medic team. As Byakuya passed out of sight and could no longer be sensed, the white haired captain couldn't help himself anymore and he burst out laughing.

It was a rare sound, rarer than even Izuru's laughter, most probably.

Since he'd started, now it seemed like he'd never be able to stop and soon Toshiro was clutching his stomach in agony and crying as more and more laughter shook his whole body. And, despite trying his best to keep to chuckles, it was a practically hopeless situation.

Yuki watched until it was finally too much and she began chuckling too. It was absolutely impossible to prevent the reaction, and she was surprised when she felt tears in her eyes.

_When was the last time I laughed?_ the sombre thought crossed her mind and she quietened slightly, _When I was a little, human girl. And _he _was ther-_

The Third Division captain clutched the front of her shihakusho as a harsh pain ripped through her chest, but, as she kept the movement subtle, Hitsugaya didn't even notice.

* * *

><p>Matsumoto groaned as she walked back into the Kuchiki estate. She didn't know why she kept coming back, but here she was again. Actually, it seemed that everyone had somehow decided that this was the place to be as hundreds of shinigami were moving through the grounds.<p>

She was about to turn and leave when she heard something that made her freeze in wonder.

_Is that . . . laughter?_ the woman moved forwards ever so slightly, and suddenly she sensed her captain's reiatsu. A few moments later, she put the two together and she had to sit down, she was so overcome with shock.

_The captain's . . . laughing? _even in her drunken state, she could still work that much out and it was the most surprising thing she'd experienced in a long while, _The captain's laughing._

And she began giggling too, unable to stop the mad thought from repeating in her head.

_The captain's laughing._

The Lieutenant suddenly realised that there was another person chuckling too, and she almost died of built up shock as she identified the voice as Kanashimi's.

_What the hell's going on?_ she wasn't sure what to think, _This had _got _to be a dream._

But since she didn't 'wake up', even when she pinched herself, she concluded that it was real and that the impossible had happened.

_Next, humans will start praying to goldfish on New Year's,_ she thought incredulously as she turned and walked straight back to the Tenth Division, not even stopping when someone offered her more sake.

* * *

><p>Author's Note:<p>

And the reason for Hitsugaya's distrust of snowmen becomes clear . . . Rangiku, you're really quite amazing!

However, why so many people were wandering around the Kuchiki estate will, I think, forever remain a mystery . . .


	52. Chapter 18: Through the Eyes of Rangiku

_Chapter 18: From the Eyes of Rangiku_

'Here Captain,' Rangiku handed the white haired shinigami a piece of paper that she'd been asked to deliver by someone from the Fifth Division. She hadn't looked at it, assuming that it wouldn't make any sense to her anyway, but she hadn't delayed giving it to the captain like usual either.

It was often the case that she actually did her job better when she was preoccupied than when she wasn't.

'Hinamori's hosting a party of sorts today in the Fifth Division,' Toshiro's voice brought Rangiku's thoughts back to reality, 'Captains, Lieutenants, and any Seated Offices can come,'

'So I'm allowed to accompany you?' she was hopeful, 'Please?'

'Fine,' Toshiro was a bit tired, considering that Rukia had only let him out of that hidden room earlier in the day, when it was still dark, and when normal people had been asleep for a long time, 'Just don't cause any commotions,'

'Oh, of course I won't!' Rangiku was too excited to really listen to what her captain was saying. And, as an added bonus, a gathering like this was exactly what she needed to carry out her observations. She found herself wondering how Izuru was, because she had a faint recollection of sticking him inside a snowball the night before.

'It says to come whenever,' Toshiro wondered if Hinamori had written these, and decided that, if she had, he'd have to tell her to be a little bit more detailed.

'Then,' Matsumoto drew out the word, already buzzing with excitement, 'Let's go!'

'Don't shout,' grumbling, the white haired captain followed his Lieutenant out of the room.

* * *

><p>There was quite a gathering at the Fifth Division, and Momo was getting worried. In all the excitement of the night before, she hadn't really thought about the consequences of hosting a party for so many people. It was a lot harder that Matsumoto had made it sound.<p>

'Shiro-chan!' when the Lieutenant noticed Toshiro walking past, she called out immediately.

'Don't call me Shiro-chan,' the tone was cross, but the expression wasn't mirrored in his turquoise eyes, 'What is it?'

'I'm stuck,' Momo raised her hands and waved them around as if that explained everything.

'You don't look stuck,' peering at the ground and noting that her waraji were definitely on it, not in it, Toshiro frowned at her.

'Don't joke with me! I'm serious,' she was getting stressed, and her hand waving was getting more and more erratic, 'I need _help_,'

'How so?' crossing his arms, the white haired captain stared at his childhood friend, waiting for her reply.

'I don't know! _Your _Lieutenant was the one who told me about parties anyway!' she was about to go mad, she could feel it. Why couldn't Shiro-chan just make things a bit easier for her?

'Matsumoto,' as the woman appeared at his side, Toshiro turned to her, 'Help Hinamori with her party, alright,'

It was an order, not really a question, so Rangiku nodded, 'Sure, let's go!'

As the pair walked off, Matsumoto animatedly explaining the workings of parties and Momo hanging onto her every word, Toshiro sighed.

'Shiro-chan!' at the shout, the white haired captain jerked violently and spun, eyes landing on Ukitake, 'How nice it is to see you again,'

'What do you want?' it was quite rude to speak to the older captain like that, but Toshiro was usually on edge when the man was around so he really couldn't help it.

'Last night, I found this,' Jushiro seemed awfully happy, 'And I thought I'd give it to y-,'

Before the captain of the Thirteenth Division could finish his sentence, Toshiro turned and bolted in the opposite direction, trying to hide his reiatsu and, if possible, his hair. There was no way Ukitake was going to force another one of his strange gifts on him, he couldn't take the way that man treated him sometimes.

'Captain!'

_So I ran straight into more trouble,_ Toshiro slowed to a walk and waited for Matsumoto to appear. She seemed happy, as usual, and, since Hinamori was nowhere to be seen, the captain assumed they'd worked something out in that brief amount of time.

'Have you seen Izuru?' Rangiku leaned towards the leader of her Division and smiled, 'I wanted to talk to him,'

'He's over there,' Toshiro pointed behind him, having seen Kira standing against a wall, 'But he doesn't look very happy,'

He was going to say more, but his Lieutenant had grabbed his arm and begun dragging him none too gently in the direction he'd indicated, 'Matsumoto!'

'Come on, Captain,' she was grinning and ignoring him completely, 'I can't let you wander off! If I take my eyes off you for a moment, you're vanish back to the offices, won't you?'

Toshiro wasn't given the opportunity to respond, as Matsumoto had roughly dumped him on the ground, thumping his back as she did so, and knocked the wind out of his lungs, 'Matsumoto,' the word came out as an angry gasp.

'Izuru!' drowning out her captain's ragged breaths, Rangiku spun around and grasped the other Lieutenant's shoulders, shaking him, 'Why! You look absolutely awful,'

The blonde man looked like he hadn't slept in years, and his fingers were wrapped in bandages, when he spoke, his voice was crackly, 'Thanks to _you_,'

'What did I do? How can you dare to hold me responsible?' she was snapping now, earlier cheer gone.

'Because you stuck me in a _snowball_,' he was shaking now, the cool morning air obviously affecting him.

'Take this,' a new voice sounded and everyone turned their heads and watched Kanashimi approach. She was holding out her hand and something that looked like a small, smooth black pebble was caught between two of her fingers.

Izuru took the black thing and stared at it, then he asked, 'What is it?'

'Something to make you feel better,' she handed him a cup of water, 'Swallow,'

Putting the 'pebble' in his mouth and taking a great gulp of the water, shivering as the cold liquid hit his throat, Izuru sighed. Matsumoto and Toshiro watched in surprise as his skin regained its usual colour and his muscles relaxed. Then he pulled of his bandages and stared at his fingers, now back in all their usual glory.

'Better,' it was hardly a question. Lavender eyes watched Kira's face as Yuki took back the water, handing it to someone behind her.

'Very much so,' nodding in relief, Izuru now looked about a hundred times better, 'Thank you, Captain,'

Matsumoto watched as Kanashimi nodded slightly before moving to lean against the wall too, strangely coloured eyes on the weak beams of sunlight filtering from the clouds. The Lieutenant was trying to figure a few things out, but so far she hadn't been able to come to any conclusions.

'So,' Rangiku frowned ever so slightly, 'Izuru, you said I put you in a snowball?'

'That's right,' he sighed and it was one of long suffering, 'Although I wish you hadn't,'

'Let's go do something fun! I'll make it up to you!' before he could protest, the other Lieutenant had grabbed his hand and dragged him off.

Once they were out of the two captains' sight, Matsumoto said, 'Okay, what do you want to do?'

'Nothing that involves you,' after being very traumatised by the woman the night before, Izuru needed a little break from her. And so, this time before _Matsumoto _could react, Kira had used some of the fastest shunpo he'd ever performed, to race away.

Sighing deeply, Rangiku wandered slowly back to where her captain was, stopping some metres away, and just watched.

* * *

><p>Pale blue eyes flicked from Hitsugaya to Kanashimi and Rangiku noted everything she could see. As she was just a bit too far away to hear what the pair were saying, and going any closer would make them overly aware of her presence, the Lieutenant just remained where she was. She could have tried lip reading, but that was just way too hard. After all, the last time she'd tried, she'd gotten quite a few people in trouble for things they didn't actually say.<p>

_I think_, her thoughts were surprisingly calm and considering, _What I heard last night, _the memory of that open laughter filtered into her mind, _Was laughter between . . . conspirators._

The woman nodded to herself, eyes half closed, _Definitely conspirators. Why?_ since there was only her, she asked herself the question, and was then all too pleased to answer, _Because conspirators are close, closer then friends, sometimes closer than family. A true single unit, _she smiled, _Well, they'd have to be to pull off whatever they were plotting._

Eyes focusing on the two captains again, Rangiku puller herself back on course and continued her internal monologue, _This doesn't seem to me like some fresh youthful romance that's destined to crash and burn, _she'd seen that happen far too often for her liking, _And it's not the type of love where the relationship is really only for physical benefit, _she'd seen that occur way too much as well.

'Sorry,' realising she had stepped backwards and bumped into someone, she didn't bother checking who it was, Matsumoto sighed and apologised.

_So what's with those two? They're certainly not just friends who tell each other the odd secret and then walk off, but they're also definitely not just lovesick youngsters who can only think about, well,_ the woman couldn't help the wicked grin that flashed across her face, _Think about touching each other all day long._

The Lieutenant had known Hitsugaya for a long time now, since back when he was in Junrinan, but there were still many times when she didn't have a clue what he was thinking or what was bothering him. It was a problem for her now, because she was curious.

Looking up, Rangiku watched as Kanashimi said something and then, eyes flicking to her captain, a small smile appeared on his face. He even appeared to be trying not to laugh, although Kanashimi's expression was still stoic.

_That type of togetherness_, _that perfect timing, living to each other's rhythms, _Rangiku's smile was fond, _That's not just foolish young love. It really isn't, _she brushed back her strawberry blonde hair absently, _It's something so much more _intense_, so much closer to the heart._

Realising that she was practically beginning to repeat herself, the woman chuckled lightly, _You're going mad, you know? Talking to yourself like this. Still, you're also acting like some old lady fussing over her kids, and you don't want to be like that. Old, I mean. So, leave them to their own devices and see what the outcome is,_ for some reason, she felt a bit sad, _You know that they're both mature people._

As she turned to go back to the Tenth Division, movement caught her eye and she paused. Rangiku watched as Kanashimi stood. Then, as the Third Division captain passed Hitsugaya, there was the slightest contact before she vanished using shunpo.

Matsumoto smiled again. There wasn't anything extremely obvious about the incident, but somehow it carried more meaning that some of the most heated kisses the Lieutenant had ever witnessed.

* * *

><p>Author's Note:<p>

Just a couple of things shown from Rangiku's perspective . . . she _does _have a serious side after all, although it's usually hidden very, very well . . .


	53. Chapter 19: Quickening

_Chapter 19: Quickening_

As Toshiro wandered back towards the Tenth Division, a jigokucho fluttered over to him. The message was hardly finished before the white haired captain was racing towards the First Division Assembly Hall.

His thoughts were rushing through his head almost as fast as he was moving through the air.

_More information? Wouldn't that be nice for a chance,_ frown deepening as he recalled the last time Kurotsuchi had said he had more information of the cloud disturbances in mild disgust.

A flash of white to his left made him turn slightly, as Ukitake appeared beside him. The man's face had lost all of its cheerfulness and his eyes were completely serious. Neither of them spoke as they arrived at the Hall and entered. There would be time for talking soon enough.

* * *

><p>'This meeting is to further discuss the cloud disturbances over Karakura Town,' Yamamoto was pleased that everyone had arrived so quickly, despite the fact that he'd heard they were all gathered at the Fifth Division, 'Captain Kurotsuchi,'<p>

'Those creatures live in another dimension,' Mayuri began speaking and, for once, arrived immediately at his point, 'One that can only be accessed from the World of the Living,'

'Another dimension?' Soifon spoke, her tone was serious. She, like everyone else, had been informed of the lethality of the men who'd fought with the shinigami in the Human World, and she wasn't happy about them always getting away.

'That's right,' the Twelfth Division captain nodded, 'A new dimension, it's not very old at all. There should be a gateway to get there, somewhere in Karakura Town,'

'How do we find it?' Ukitake sounded concerned, thinking about all the humans, and human children, that might be at risk.

'We look,' there was no joke in Mayuri's tone, although he smiled his wide golden smile, 'We look and search until we find it,'

'Is it permanently opened?' Unohana knew that if it wasn't, then it would need to be opened somehow, 'How would we get through?'

'I do not know the answer to that,' there was a slightly annoyed note in his harsh voice, 'But there's always a way to open these things,'

'It doesn't sound like we have very much information,' Kanashimi knew you had to be careful when dealing with Kurotsuchi, but it was a truth and she wasn't afraid to say it, 'Wouldn't it be like stumbling around in a dark room looking for a door?' she paused, 'Or at least a light switch,'

'That's just about right,' Mayuri's tone was tight, 'But this is a _threat _and that's the best we can do,'

Everyone else had the strong suspicion that the man really just wanted to get research subjects and collect specimens from the new dimension. That would, at least, explain his impatience.

'So, what are the orders?' Soifon was always one to stick to her commands, no matter what.

Toshiro glanced at Kanashimi. It seemed that, more often than not, her reiatsu was unstable while they were having captains meetings. There was some sort of deep unrest in the dark spiritual pressure and he wondered what was causing it.

Yamamoto spoke suddenly and the room was completely silent apart from his voice, 'I would like this threat dealt with as soon as possible. If casting around is what we must do to achieve that, then that is what we _will _do,' he opened his eyes slightly, 'I will select a group of captains and lieutenants to go to the World of the Living to accomplish this mission,' there was a pause, 'Soifon, Kanashimi, Unohana, Ukitake, you will go to the Human World and leave your subordinates in charge of your Divisions. Kuchiki, Kyoraku, Hitsugaya, Kenpachi, you will take your Lieutenants with you,' he turned his head, 'Kurotsuchi, you and your Lieutenant shall go briefly into the other dimension in order to take samples, and then you will return,'

'I'm taking my Third and Fifth Seats along,' Zaraki interrupted whatever the Head Captain had been about to say, 'These guys sound strong, and we want good fights, '

'Very well,' Yuki thought she could sense some kind of annoyance in the old man's voice, 'Now, Ukitake, inform Kuchiki Rukia that she must journey immediately to the World of the Living to inform the substitute shinigami of the current circumstances. Does everyone understand?'

'Yes sir!' the acknowledgement was strong.

They were the captains of the Gotei 13, and, as such, it was one of their duties to protect the human souls in the World of the Living.

* * *

><p>Standing outside the First Division, Toshiro paused. They had their orders, they would be leaving the next day. But to do what exactly? Sure, it was all good to say that they were off to deal with some new threat, but how were they supposed to do that? Kurotsuchi didn't know where the gate was, or if they would even be able to get through it. It seemed like a waste of time.<p>

'It's not as hopeless as you think,' Yuki appeared at his side, 'The gateway isn't so hard to find,'

'What do you mean?' it certainly sounded like it was going to be a difficult job, so Toshiro couldn't work out what the other captain meant.

'I don't know,' she shook her head, fringe half hiding her eyes, as usual, 'But that's the feeling I get, that's all,'

'Oh,' nodding, the white haired captain found his thoughts drifting.

The morning had seemed so cheerful, with Hinamori's party, and the light conversations that had occurred. But now everyone was tense. They had orders and they were eager to fulfil them. For everyone's sake, shinigami or human.

* * *

><p>Rukia leapt from building top to rooftop, shihakusho whipping around her in the fierce wind that was being created by her movement. She'd contacted Urahara as soon as she'd exited the Senkaimon, and now she was racing towards Urahara Shoten. The shinigami hoped that the shopkeeper had already gathered everyone together as she wasn't in the best of moods to wait.<p>

A movement to her side made her blink, and, turning, she watched as Ichigo fell in step beside her. He was frowning, a sure sign he was concerned about something, and his whole body looked tense.

'Ichigo,' Rukia said his name in way of greeting, and then turned back to the task at hand. She had to get there fast to tell everyone else what was about to happen. The captains and lieutenants would be following tomorrow morning and they all needed to be ready. She couldn't bear the thought of failing such a simple job and making Ukitake or her Nii-sama think she was incompetent.

'Down,' as the roof of the shop came into sight, she ordered Ichigo to descend with her, needing to say something despite the fact that it was obvious.

'Right,' his tone was serious and there was a smouldering fire in his eyes. There was no doubt that Kurosaki Ichigo wanted some revenge for what those men had done to his friends.

'Welcome,' as the shinigami alighted at his door, Urahara smiled widely, masking his own concern with his usual innocent act, 'Please come inside,'

'Are the others here?' Rukia's tone was short, and she tried to sense the presences of her friends.

'They're waiting in here,' nodding, the shopkeeper led the pair into one of the rooms, gesturing to the three sitting at the table, 'Go in,'

Not needing any further encouragement, Rukia darted through the door, sat down, and immediately began speaking, 'Okay everyone, here's what's happening,' she had their undivided attention, 'Tomorrow, a group of captains and lieutenants are coming to the World of the Living. There's a gate to a new dimension, the one where those guys came from, and we've got to find it. Once we do, we go through and _deal with the threat inside_,'

As she paused, scribbling, Ichigo suddenly interrupted, 'That sounds too easy,'

'Not really,' Rukia shot a glare at him, holding up her sketch pad, 'You see, we don't have a clue where the gate is, only that it's in Karakura,'

'Oh,' Orihime, who knew that there was a threat, and was working out that she had probably actually been attacked by those men, 'I see,'

'How are we supposed to find something like that?' Ichigo was getting anxious again, having only just relaxed a bit with the first part of Rukia's message.

The petite shinigami looked a bit annoyed when she said, 'We look. Captain Kurotsuchi said the only way we're going to find it is look,'

'What if it's invisible?' for some reason, Orihime sounded excited at the thought.

'Then we have to sense it,' Uryu spoke in way of reply, he pushed up his glasses, 'Although those men seem to suppress their reiatsu, there should still be a way to trace it to wherever they come from,'

'Right,' nodding, Rukia continued, 'The gate will take us to a new dimension, one that's not supposed to be that old, and then, hopefully, those guys will be there and we can fight them and tidy up the whole matter,'

'You really make it sound too easy,' Ichigo stared at the rabbit-ised drawings of a group of shinigami walking through an iron gate and using little swords to slash up bad rabbits. The next one was of more shinigami using brooms to, well, 'tidy up the whole matter', Ichigo supposed, eyes locked on a trash can.

'And your drawings suck as usual,' he raised his hand fast enough to block the drawing book, but then he got stabbed with the pens instead, 'Hey, that was a good shirt,'

The dots of ink made a rather odd pattern, and Rukia couldn't help but smirk, 'Well then, you shouldn't insult my masterpieces,'

'Back to the point-,' Uryu tried to bring the conversation back on topic, but he was ignored as Rukia and Ichigo began yelling at each other. Glancing at Chad and Orihime, who were watching the fist fight avidly, the Quincy couldn't help but sigh.

* * *

><p>Author's Note:<p>

So things are beginning to move along . . . although maybe not as fast as Uryu would like


	54. Chapter 20: Gateway

_Chapter 20: Gateway_

'Is everyone ready?' Ukitake was somehow in charge of making sure the shinigami passed through to the World of the Living in an orderly manner, 'Good, now we should go,'

It was relatively early in the morning, and absolutely freezing due to the snow and ice, but Toshiro wasn't focusing on either of those things. The Senkaimon was open, and it would only take him a few paces to enter it. In Karakura, he knew that things were going to get as intense as usual, and the fact that they were all on their way to a new dimension didn't help the annoyed feeling he was experiencing.

'Yes, let's go!' Kurotsuchi sounded far too cheerful considering the circumstances, but no one commented. Beside him, Nemu was hauling a great load of who knew what, and no one commented on that either.

As the seventeen shinigami moved into the gate, jigokucho fluttering around them, the white haired captain couldn't help but feel slightly regretful, although he didn't know why.

* * *

><p>'There they are!' Ichigo's shout was one filled with tension and relief. He'd been told quite firmly by Rukia that they couldn't begin the search until the other shinigami had arrived and so the five of them had been waiting around for the Senkaimon to appear.<p>

'Good,' Rukia was also relieved, although she tried not to show it, 'Let's go over,'

The small group arrived beneath the gate as the captains and lieutenants jumped down, landing lightly on the grass. Or lightly in most cases, as Zaraki caused quite a dint in the ground, and Nemu's bag also made a loud thud sound when it made contact.

'Wow, there sure are a lot of you!' Orihime was cheerful as usual. She knew that she was allowed to come with everyone to the new dimension as long as she stayed with Unohana, whom Rukia had assured everyone was coming.

'Well,' Kurotsuchi's voice was raised to be heard over the buzz of muted conversations, 'We should begin immediately, don't you think?'

'Where should we start?' Ichigo immediately turned as if he was about to walk off in any direction.

'I haven't a clue,' his unconcerned manner was beginning to intensely annoy a certain orange haired substitute shinigami, 'Anywhere really, as long as it's in the town,'

Standing at the back of the group, Yuki's violet eyes suddenly lost focus and glazed over.

* * *

><p>Toshiro was having trouble staying calm yet again, as he waited for Kurotsuchi to tell everyone where to go. The problem was, although they'd been put into groups, now the Twelfth Division captain was trying to figure out which group he wanted to send where. So nothing was really happening at all.<p>

'Shouldn't we just start looking?' Ichigo was about to give into temptation and attempt to strangle Mayuri, 'This is wasting time,'

'You won't find it,' everyone turned at the sound of the deadpan voice, surprised, 'Not if you look _forever_,'

'Huh?' the substitute shinigami stared at Kanashimi in shock and confusion, 'What are you talking about?'

Now that everyone looked, there was something slightly _wrong _about the Third Division captain's appearance. It was her eyes, the way the odd lavender was unfocused and cloudy. Unblinking, slightly the wrong colour.

'Follow,'

As the captain vanished, everyone paused for a moment, before hurrying after her as she moved away through the sky. No one knew what was going on, but they decided that perhaps it would be a good idea to keep an eye on her.

* * *

><p>The group followed until they were at the very edge of Karakura Town, in the area where the buildings were all crumbling and run down. Kanashimi had stopped in front of a lone warehouse, surrounded by rubble, and looking pretty decrepit itself.<p>

Toshiro's eyes widened in shock as he realised that he recognised this building. In the time since _that_, nothing had obviously changed. There was still a hole in one wall, and familiar debris.

Was this really where Yuki had been killed?

As everyone paused, wondering what they were here for, the Third Division captain began speaking, 'The gate is inside,'

Silence descended on the group, and then Yuki blinked and took a single stumbling step forwards, almost losing her balance. In order to prevent herself from falling, she dropped into a crouch, head bent. Toshiro sensed her reiatsu pulse and take on a fine but gritty undertone.

'Is this the place then? Is this where the gate is?' Ichigo's eyes flicked from the kneeling captain to the crumbling building, 'Let's go then!'

'How interesting,' Mayuri was staring at Kanashimi too, 'How very, very interesting,'

'Are you feeling alright?' although she, like everyone else, wasn't sure what had just happened, Orihime was concerned for the captain. She ran over and knelt beside the shinigami, one hand reaching out to touch the woman's shoulder.

'Don't,' Yuki's hand shot up, grabbing the teenager's outstretched arm, fingers encircling her wrist, violet eyes hard, 'I'm fine,'

'Come on,' Ichigo led the group in entering the warehouse, peering about in the gloom.

'There!' Mayuri pointed with a single long nailed finger to the back wall of the building, a third of the way up, 'See that?'

Heads turned and eyes rose to gaze upon a circular disk, glowing slightly in the moderate dark. The gate was quite large, and it would be easy to get to from the ground.

'What are we waiting for? This is your mission right?' Ichigo was now all too ready just to jump through on his own. It would take only a single leap . . .

'How nice. You lot are quicker at figuring stuff out than we thought,'

Eyes widened in horror and everyone once again turned their gazes to the gate. Two figures now stood in the air before it, one with hands in pockets, the other with arms linked behind his head.

Koru and Bikuta.

'Ya know,' green eyes were clearly visible, glittering in the thin shadows, 'We should congratulate you, we truly thought finding this place would take longer,'

'You-,' Ichigo was held back by Rukia, who put a hand on his arm in warning.

'Still, you don't know half of what there is to know about what you're about to jump into,' Bikuta continued, lowering his arms and crossing them instead, 'You shouldn't enter unless you're completely ready. Until you think you know enough to _survive_,'

'Thanks for the warning, but we're going anyway,' Renji was glad that it looked like there would be two somethings to take his anger out on. However, since his captain was here too, he tried not to be too idiotic and rash.

'If that's the case, then we're going to have to save your sorry souls just this once. Give you all a bit more time to wonder,' Koru laughed with cheerful confidence as he turned and stepped back through the gate, 'See you all soon,'

'Hey!' Ichigo's yell echoed slightly in the empty building, 'Get back here,'

'You should be glad he's gone back for a while,' Bikuta materialised his katana, 'I didn't want to have to fight you, and I still don't plan to,'

Before anyone could speak, he swung his blade, creating a thin, but powerful wall of fire that descended to the ground before the group. The tips of the flames reached well above where the gate was, and, although they gave off no heat, no one had the slightest doubt that touching them would mean you got burnt.

'So,' Bikuta's voice was as secretive and mocking as ever, 'I'll give you some useful information, and maybe even a couple of hints,' letting his katana vanish, he put his hands in his pockets, mirroring the pose Koru had taken a short while ago, 'We're the Forgotten Souls, pretty unassuming name, huh? Anyway, that's what we are. The place you're all trying so hard to get to, is Ushinawa. We call it, more accurately perhaps, the Land of the Lost,'

'Shut up,' Ichigo wasn't interested in learning the guy's damn life story, 'Gestuga Tensho!'

The wave of energy from Zangetsu passed easily through the fire and hit the place where Bikuta had been standing. The Forgotten Soul, however, was already walking away through the gate which was fading around him.

'You'll regret not listening to everything I had to say,' he sounded like he found something funny, 'But I suppose we can tell you the rest later. See you later, shinigami and humans,'

* * *

><p>'They're moving the gate,' Yuki's voice was deadpan again.<p>

'What?' Ichigo was feeling angrier every second, 'Now what are we supposed to do?'

He jumped forwards, cutting a hole in the fading flames, and tried to reach the disappearing gateway. Unfortunately for him, he only succeeded in slamming into the wall.

'Urgh,' sliding limply to the ground, Ichigo was immediately met by Orihime, who began healing him, 'Thanks,'

'Now what?' Uryu was feeling tired. The whole thing was insane, he could feel it. Nothing was making sense, everything was far too difficult. The teenager found himself thinking that he was about to wake up and find out that it was all just a dream.

'Urahara's,' Rukia's suggestion was immediately accepted as no one had any others.

'Not coming,' Kurotsuchi sounded strangely childish, like a stubborn brat, 'Nemu,'

As the pair began to walk off, Uryu chuckled quietly, 'He just can't stand the fact that Urahara's a better scientist than him,'

'What was that?' Mayuri's shout was filled with mad fury and fiery indignation.

'Nothing,' the Quincy responded rather innocently, 'Don't worry yourself!'

* * *

><p>'You can all stay downstairs,' Urahara stared at each face as they group filed past silently, 'Why so glum?'<p>

'Don't even ask,' Uryu muttered, glancing at the shopkeeper as he walked by, following Chad, 'It's a sensitive topic,'

'Oh?' noting the absence of the Twelfth Division's captain and lieutenant, Urahara chuckled darkly, 'I see,'

'The next time I see one of those guys, I'm going to kill him!' Ichigo was fuming.

Almost everyone was suffering from different negative emotions, as the reality of losing the gate and letting both of the _Forgotten Souls_ get away finally settled in. Soifon was trying not to think about how she'd failed, and was wondering if Yoruichi was here instead. Byakuya wasn't thinking about anything, as almost everything that had happened today was an insult to his pride. Unohana was just glad nobody was hurt yet. Kyoraku was wishing he had some sake, and had resorted to teasing his Lieutenant. Zaraki was disappointed that he'd missed out on a fight. Ukitake was feeling worried about everyone else, and wondering if they'd ever get justice. The Lieutenants were mostly preoccupied, except Yachiru who was eating candy like nothing had happened at all, and the overall feeling was dark.

'Stay as long as you like,' smiling cheerfully, Urahara retreated from the underground training room. He knew that they would find the gate again, it was inevitable, and he also knew that Yoruichi was due back soon, so he decided to wait for her to tell her about their guests before she got mad about him 'inviting people over without telling her', again.

Sighing, the shopkeeper settled down at the doorway and began to wait.

* * *

><p>Author's Note:<p>

Even if Kanashimi had the 'idea' of where to go . . . who ever thought it would be easy actually getting to another dimension?


	55. Chapter 21: Ushinawa

_Chapter 21: Ushinawa_

'It's gone,' Ichigo hadn't expected anything as easy as going back to the warehouse and finding the gate there again, but the reality was still hard to swallow. He felt like choking instead.

'Of course, you fool,' Rukia's sharp remark lacked any bite as the petite shinigami was just as disappointed as the orange haired teenager.

Soifon suddenly turned to Yuki, 'You found the gate yesterday. Can you do it again?'

The Second Division captain wasn't in the best of moods, since she'd heard that Yoruichi had returned to Urahara Shoten the night before, but hadn't come down to visit her, but she tried her best to hide that.

'I don't know,' Kanashimi shook her head, unsure of how she'd done it the day before, there was a pause, and then her eyes went dull, sudden as flipping a switch, 'There is a way to track the gate,'

'How?' Ichigo, unlike quite a few of the others, wasn't currently concerned by the fact that the Third Division captain looked rather unwell, 'Tell us,'

'I don't know,' shaking her head, and wondering why she'd just said that, the captain realised something. Turning to the back wall, she adjusted her vision so that everything was out of focus, blurry and faded. As she did so, thread like lines of grey appeared clearly, stretching away from the place where the gate had been.

'Ah,' the sound was an exhalation. The type that people make when they come home from work after a long, hard day, and immediately appreciate their own space.

'What is it?' all Ichigo could see were unfocused eyes that seemed to be gazing straight through the back wall and out into the sky beyond. He was beginning to think the Third Division captain was full of contradictions.

Yuki didn't reply, she just jumped up into the air, passing through the hole in the wall that Ichigo's Getsuga Tensho had created the day before. As everyone followed, she cast around, searching for those thin grey lines. Eyes catching and holding a strand, the captain began walking through the air, steps sure and steady, following the line.

'Wait up!' the cry, she didn't know who spoke, was ignored.

_That line, _her thoughts were empty, hollow, _That grey line._ _It leads . . ._

'There's the gate,' she stopped, suddenly realising that she was now a great distance from the warehouse, and standing in some bright grassy field near a body of water.

Everyone slowly arrived behind her, noting immediately the glow of the gate, just a few metres in front.

No one asked how she'd found it, they were just glad she had.

'What are we waiting for?' Ichigo sighed as he walked past Kanashimi and stepped through the portal, the Third Division captain following after a brief moment of hesitation.

* * *

><p>'Welcome to Ushinawa,' as the group paused to adjust to the bright sunny light, something they hadn't exactly expected, a chorus of voices greeted them.<p>

Blinking to clear his vision, Toshiro gazed in surprise at the twenty figures standing on a grassy bank off to his left. The shinigami turned and watched as Koru and Bikuta moved away from the group of, what everyone assumed to be, Forgotten Souls.

The first thing that Ichigo noticed was that none of them were wearing the grey clothes that they'd been seen in, in the World of the Living. The second thing was that only five of the figures had faces and wore unique outfits. The others had features, but they were blank and relatively similar to the person beside them, although females could still be distinguished from males. Their clothes were also the same, plain shirts and pants in different shades of brown.

'Nice to see you didn't hesitate this time,' Koru's lazy voice drew the attention back to him. _His _grey outfit had been replaced with black combat pants, which seemed to be covered in pockets, a dark brown short sleeved shirt, which somehow looked designer, and black boots. Since his head was no longer covered by the grey cloth, the man's blonde brown hair was clearly visible, artfully untidy and a definite feature of his overall appearance.

Smiling his charming smile, Koru continued speaking, 'Hey you,' he pointed at Rangiku, 'It's rude to stare,'

The Lieutenant frowned, noticing that she had indeed been gazing in an unblinking fashion, after all, one couldn't ignore the attractiveness of the Soul, no matter how bastard-like the man could be, still . . . 'It's rude to point,' she snapped back.

'Touché,' Koru nodded, as if in appreciation of her remark.

'Stop fooling about,' another familiar voice, Bikuta, sounded as the man rubbed his hand through his black hair, 'They're here to kill us you know,'

The gazes of the shinigami and humans turned to him, and they all noted his dark grey pants, of a similar design to Koru's but minus the pockets. He seemed to be wearing three belts, which looked good, but sounded rather impractical, and heavy duty boots. Like Koru, his shirt was designer, but black.

'Like they could,' a new voice sounded, and one of the other Forgotten Souls, who appeared to have a face, stepped forwards, 'Those guys don't have a chance against us,'

'Manners, Asa,' Bikuta turned around and slapped the other man's face none too gently and without any hesitation.

'Sorry, I apologise,' the blonde man stepped back and, although his bright, electric blue eyes were dark, and a red mark was forming on his pale skin, he didn't try to protest.

From those actions, it was clear that there was some kind of hierarchy in this group, just like practically every other organisation. Koru and Bikuta seemed to be on a higher level than the others, but the ones with faces were also presumably higher than the ones without.

'Introductions?' Koru spoke as if one of them had asked him the question first, 'Of course, lovely idea,' he turned around, gesturing to the Souls without faces, 'Well, first off, they don't have names. We sometimes refer to them as faceless,' then he pointed to Asa, 'As you might have guessed, he's Asa,' then he pointed to the next person, a tall, brown haired man, 'He's Hiroki,' and then he pointed to the only distinctly female figure, a faint trace of disgust coloured his agreeable tone when he spoke again, 'And she's Chihime,'

'It's nice to meet you,' the three of them spoke with different levels of interest in their tones. Asa was still rubbing his cheek and trying not to look obvious, Hiroki had closed his dark green eyes and appeared to be meditating, and Chihime was gazing at the group, and her dark brown eyes were filled with something sweet and sadistic.

Matsumoto, who was examining each of the five interesting figures, felt her eyes settle on the woman. She was quite something to behold, in a way that said 'don't look at me or I'll kill you' but also said 'look at me because I'm gorgeous'. And sure, she did look like a model, with her delicate figure, long red brown hair, and slightly tanned skin. But her smile, a very dark and cruel one, portrayed a completely different message.

'She looks tarty,' Rangiku muttered. And that was also slightly true, as the woman was wearing a very short black skirt, long stockings, high heeled shoes, crimson blouse, and open black jacket. Not exactly what you'd think of when you thought 'dangerous, threatening enemy'.

'Matsumoto,' Toshiro sighed, hoping the woman wasn't going to lose focus just because of what her opponent was wearing.

'Sorry,' she sighed back, brushing her hair from her face and returning her attention to Koru, as the man cleared his throat.

He was smiling charmingly and talking to his fellow Forgotten Souls, and then he turned back to the group below, saying, 'Do you want to know why we're called _Forgotten _Souls?'

'No-,' Ichigo began, but he was ignored and interrupted.

'It's because we all died in the year that this dimension was created, and, in the following twelve months, we were completely forgotten about by society,' he shook his head, as if he were saddened by something, 'I was famous once,' he smiled suddenly, the expression definitely one of someone who'd once been a celebrity, 'A singer, part of a band,'

'I don't care-,' once again, the orange haired teenager was cut off. Something which made his whole body droop slightly.

'And that's the same with everyone else here,' Koru made a sweeping gesture with one arm, 'But the indistinguishable ones, they were just ordinary people. We,' he pointed to the unique Souls, 'We were special,'

'Then why were you forgotten?' Rukia snapped back, trying to work out why they couldn't just start fighting and get this over and done with.

'Because that's the way society is,' Bikuta replied this time, and he sounded very old, 'It likes new things and throws away anything old,'

They could have kept chattering on like old friends, with albeit strange conversation starters, but then someone spoke, 'Scatter, Senbonzakura,'

And the fight began.

* * *

><p>Author's Note:<p>

Once again Kanashimi shows her unique 'skill' of finding the gate. I wonder what she would've ended that sentence with: _It leads . . . _where?

And now that everyone's been introduced, the fight can begin . . . although Ichigo might be in low spirits for a while after being cut off _twice_ . . .


	56. Chapter 22: The Right Decision

_Chapter 22: The Right Decision_

Mayuri smiled brightly as he came across the gateway. It hadn't been hard to find this time, since he'd arrived just as the last shinigami had stepped through. There was still reiatsu in the air too, a mix of different things to sense.

'Nemu!' he called out to his Lieutenant and the woman looked up, still dragging the heavy bag, 'Hurry up! Let's go!'

'Yes,' nodding and trying to quicken her pace, Nemu walked through the portal after her captain, listening to his wild ranting.

* * *

><p>Unohana glanced at Orihime, noting the girl's tense expression as her brown eyes flicked from each of the fights in the air above her. The Fourth Division captain knew that it was only going to be a matter of time before their skills were needed.<p>

'Bakudo 81. Danku,' suddenly sensing a volley of bullets, burning with dark brown fire, the captain whirled around, somehow knowing that the kido would stop the shots.

As the barrier sprung up before them, and the rain of ammunition rocketed off, Orihime turned and stared in shock as a man appeared on the other side. It was Hiroki.

'So you've got some defence, how about attack?' his eyes were pitiful, for some reason, and his tone was serious.

Danku vanished, and Unohana raised her hands, 'Hado 88. Hiryūgekizokushintenraihō,'

The kido was cast so quickly that the Soul didn't even react and he was hit directly with the energy, being pushed away by the force of it. Unohana knew that they needed to stay hidden for a while, so she constructed a powerful barrier and placed it around them.

_This fight, although it seems surreal, _her thoughts were completely serious, _Is a very deadly one._

* * *

><p>Toshiro glared at the Forgotten Soul that appeared before him. It wasn't one of the five, so it was hard to look at it for a long time because there wasn't anything to see. The fifteen expressionless Souls all had black hair, brown eyes, and carried their blades at their waists. Nothing special.<p>

Still, their skills seemed to be above that of a shinigami Lieutenant.

Sensing Kanashimi appear beside him, he muttered, 'Is it my imagination, or does none of this feel real,'

'It doesn't, but that's the way it's meant to be,' her tone was oddly distant, 'You might also notice that it's never night here, so keeping track of time is impossible,'

Toshiro did suddenly notice that the light, which appeared to be early morning sunlight, hadn't changed at all since they'd arrived, 'How odd. How do you know all this?'

Yuki didn't reply, she just turned her attention to the Soul as he drew his katana.

* * *

><p>'What a plain looking shinigami,' Soifon spun around when she heard the sweet voice behind her, 'I wonder if your techniques are as dull as your appearance,'<p>

'Why you-,' the Second Division captain was insulted, but she kept her thoughts together. This was Chihime, and Soifon found that she was also insulted by the Soul's sense of dress style.

Raising a manicured hand, the woman materialised a red whip with deadly grace, and, as she moved, dark crimson fire flowed down the lash, 'Are you ready?'

Soifon vanished from where she'd been standing, appearing behind the Soul and curling one of her arms around the woman's shoulders, 'Sting all enemies to death, Suzumebachi!'

Chihime turned around and found herself taken completely by surprise when the captain wasn't there. She was more skilled than any of the faceless Souls, but there was something about the captain's speed that confused her. Still, it wasn't like she was using her full speed either.

As Soifon moved her hand back to deliver her zanpakuto's first strike, she found the whip curling around her free arm, slicing through the fabric of her captain's uniform. Cursing herself as the lash cut through her skin, she leapt away in the air, discarding her haori and long sleeved uniform in a single smooth movement. Underneath, she wore the outfit of the commander-in-chief of the Onmitsukido, and, as usual, the less constricting uniform made her feel much more comfortable.

Glancing at her arm, which had a single ugly red line on it, she scowled slightly, before returning her full attention back to the smirking woman before her, 'Lucky,'

'Not at all,' swinging her arm, Chihime sent the whip snaking back towards the captain. The sight of the mild discomfort the wound she'd dealt to the girl was causing her, made the woman's blood buzz with excitement.

As Soifon sent a kick flying her way, she dodged and murmured sweetly, 'Make this good for me, little captain,'

* * *

><p>As Byakuya noticed one of the faceless Forgotten Souls sneaking up on Rukia, a bullet flew past his head. Turning, the stoic captain's slate grey gaze landed on Hiroki, twirling his gun around in his hand lazily.<p>

As Senbonzakura was already released, the Sixth Division captain let the petal like blades drift around him, 'Are you going to try and fight me?'

He knew that they weren't well matched. Guns didn't work very well against a mass of airborne blades, but then again, he wasn't sure how effective Senbonzakura would be against that man either.

'Of course, disappointed?' Hiroki smiled pitifully, tossing his gun into the air and catching it again, 'No, why would you be?'

Directing the blades of his zanpakuto with the hilt, Byakuya sent a mass of them towards the Soul. Noticing them coming, the man frowned and raised his gun. A second later, a hundred bullets shot from his gun, each one separating into ten more. The shinigami captain's eyes widened in shock as every one of Senbonzakura's blades were forced away from the man.

This obviously wasn't going to be a simple fight.

* * *

><p>Kyoraku and Ukitake stood side by side, each with his zanpakuto drawn. Their two opponents slouched before them, blades also drawn, not making any move towards them.<p>

'Are they alright?' Ukitake sounded concerned, lowering his katana slightly.

'Don't _worry _about them,' sometimes his old friend's remarks still managed to surprise Shunsui, his hand shifted slightly on the hilt of his wakizashi, 'We're here to kill them, remember?'

'But they don't look well,' as the white haired captain spoke, both faceless Souls straightened and leapt forwards, swinging their blades with deadly accuracy, 'Oh,'

'Look out,' thankfully, Kyoraku was able to send both of them flying back, while Ukitake just stood and stared, frozen in surprise, 'Come on, pull yourself together!'

'Sorry,' looking to one side, Jushiro noticed Byakuya and one of the Souls partaking in what appeared to be gun warfare, despite the fact that only one of them had a gun, 'Oh my! I never knew Senbonzakura was so versatile,'

Kyoraku was wondering if his friend had taken something funny as he wasn't usually _this _absent minded, 'Hey, we're here to save people, alright? Think about all of the . . . the helpless _children_ that could get killed by this lot,'

'Oh dear!' immediately snapping into his serious state of mind, Ukitake gripped his katana tightly, 'We can't let that happen!'

'Just . . . stay focused,' Shunsui looked to one side, catching the eye of his Lieutenant, 'Nanao, go hide somewhere,'

Despite feeling annoyed, and confused as to why she'd been asked to come in the first place, the woman nodded and vanished.

'Now let's get down to business,' raising both his blades, the Eighth Division captain smiled as he jumped forwards.

* * *

><p>Zaraki, Ikkaku and Yumichika were having a great time. As Yachiru watched from a nearby treetop, she smiled at her captain's happy, if a little maniacal, expression. The fact that the Souls kept healing themselves perfectly after even the slightest injury didn't deter the three men, and they kept slashing away with great enthusiasm, gaining cuts and other light wounds along the way.<p>

The Lieutenant knew when Zaraki was really having fun, and this was one of those times. Looking about, the pink haired girl surveyed her surroundings, trying to see if the scenery might have something to do with Kenpachi's good mood.

All her eyes could see was green grass, a few lovely tall trees, some tiny patches of flowers, a few rocks, a body of water a little further away, and blue skies hardly at all covered by clouds. It was like the picture she'd seen on a candy packet a few years ago, a little bit too perfect for her liking.

She could still remember the blood drenched scenes of Kusajishi, where she'd lived as a soul in the Rukongai. That somehow seemed more real than what she could see right now. Frowning, the girl turned to the trunk of the tree she was sitting in, and opened her mouth, biting down on the bark. When she leaned back, all she could see were her own teeth marks, and a few drops of her blood where some stray splinters of tree had scratched her mouth. As she watched, the brown bark faded away beneath the wet red, revealing dry yellow grey rock.

'Liars,' she giggled slightly, 'Liars, liars, liars. Big, fat liars,' she waved at her captain, knowing that he wouldn't notice, and called out, 'Ken-chan! Have a good time!'

* * *

><p>In the World of the Living, Urahara stood before the gate, the evening air cold around him. It was snowing, and the white was colouring the landscape, slowly but surely. Yoruichi was standing behind him, silently gazing at the clouds. Both of them had been watching the sky ever since the group of shinigami and humans had departed that morning. The clouds had started spinning and rippling through the sky so quickly, that if you watched, it was like seeing a sped up version on the television. The snow wasn't helping, and it was blowing everyway which way, changing direction often.<p>

'Yoruichi,' Urahara's voice was distant, as the shopkeeper stared at the glowing portal.

'Yes?' the purple haired woman turned her golden gaze to her long-time friend. She knew that he had been in deep thought for a while now, but she knew that he would only say what was on his mind when he'd figured it out properly.

'I don't think it was such a good idea to let her go,' his tone was unchanging, his gaze never wavering, and then he sighed and turned to her, 'Did I make the right decision?'

He held up a tiny, pulsing crimson sphere, before crushing it between his fingers and letting the dust blow away.

'I don't know, Kisuke,' Yoruichi walked at his side as the pair moved away from the field, listening to the faint sounds of running water, and, up ahead, the muffled roar of light traffic, 'I don't know,'

* * *

><p>Author's Note:<p>

A couple of the fights going on in Ushinawa. Some of them . . . more serious than others, for a while, anyway . . .

And what was Urahara talking about? Something to do with Kanashimi, no doubt . . .


	57. Chapter 23: One of Us

_Chapter 23: One of Us_

'We're done here,' Kurotsuchi Mayuri and Nemu stepped back through the portal, ignoring the two daggers that were sent their way, 'Let's go,'

As the pair emerged back in the World of the Living, they realised it was late morning, in contrast to the early morning they'd come from, and Mayuri made a mental note about writing a report on the different time sets between the two dimensions.

'That was a good venture, Nemu,' the scientist laughed, not concerned at all that he'd left his fellow captains fighting in a whole different world, 'To the Soul Society, I think. We should get back and start studying these samples,'

'Yes, Mayuri-sama,' the diligent woman nodded and hefted the bag which happened to be twice the size now, as before, 'The Senkaimon,'

As they exited the Human World, and began the trip back to the Seireitei, neither shinigami looked back.

* * *

><p>'Boo,' Yachiru appeared behind Nanao, making the other Lieutenant jump. When the woman turned to peer at the pink haired girl, her foot slipped on some loose pebbles and she went sprawling. Not at all concerned by that, Yachiru came over and knelt beside her head, smiling brightly.<p>

'What is it?' as she rose once again, glad that no one was there to see her clumsiness, the Eighth Division Lieutenant frowned.

'They're all liars,' Yachiru couldn't get over that part, she found it hilarious, and so she burst out laughing again. So much so, that soon she was rolling around on the ground, giggling hysterically.

'What do you mean?' Nanao didn't expect any reasonable sort of answer, so she just sat down and tried to keep an eye on the numerous fights around the place.

For some reason, to her, it felt like everything she was seeing wasn't real, in some way. Even the fights seemed surreal, like the actual shinigami and Forgotten Souls were somewhere else having tea together. But she knew that those battles, at least, _were _very real, because there was something substantial about the expressions that the opponents wore as they fought.

'Liars,' Yachiru's little giggle somehow sent shivers down Nanao's spine.

* * *

><p>Renji was cross. He wanted to fight as recklessly as usual, but somehow, the movements of his opponent, none other than Bikuta, kept causing him to measure his swings and slashes with utmost precision. It was uncomfortable, and unusual, but as of that moment, he couldn't work out how to get around it.<p>

'Is something the matter?' that voice, so charismatic and superior, was driving the Lieutenant insane with fury, 'You seem troubled,'

'None of your business,' in an attempt to land a hit on the Soul, the red head used shunpo to appear behind him, and then swung down with Zabimaru's Shikai.

Bikuta paused a moment longer, then he moved his arm behind his back, effortlessly blocking the strike with his own blade. Another second passed, and in that time, Renji had been sent flying.

_This is ridiculous, _the Lieutenant was scowling deeply, _We cut them, they heal themselves. And this guy can even change what weapon he's using._

'Hey,' basing his question on that thought, Renji called out, 'Are you the only one who can transform your katana into other things?'

'No,' shaking his head as if he'd been asked a pointless question, Bikuta took a few steps forwards in the air, and then swung his blade to gesture to Koru, 'He can too,'

'Are you the only ones?' the Lieutenant wasn't sure whether or not that was a good thing.

'That's right,' despite being intelligent, Bikuta couldn't see the relevance of such a question, but it wasn't like he was going to ask, so he just discarded the thought.

'Okay!' the red headed shinigami somehow found it easier to use his more risky moves now that he knew that piece of information. He didn't know why, since it didn't seem important, but it didn't matter because now he could go all out.

_Let's go, Zabimaru_, his thoughts were determined, _Let's teach these bastards a lesson._

* * *

><p>Standing a few metres from Matsumoto, who was already fighting hard, Hisagi stared expressionlessly at the Soul before him. He was wondering if he should release his Shikai, but then he decided that he didn't want to because he didn't like it. It wasn't exactly easy to fight with any confidence if you looked at your zanpakuto with mild disgust. He feared it too, but that wasn't bad, in his opinion.<p>

'Are you going to fight me?' the voice, although male, was rather wooden, and Hisagi had a slight amount of trouble understanding.

Deciding to hold off a little longer, the Lieutenant asked, 'Are you scared?'

'Of what?' somehow, answering that question gave the faceless Soul some expression.

'Just-,' Hisagi wasn't sure of another way to put it, so he simply repeated the question.

'No,'

And although he was somewhat heartened by the Soul's response, the shinigami believed that this fight was never going to be easy, and his opinion hadn't changed one bit.

'Alright then, let's begin,' Hisagi was tired. He didn't feel like fighting, he felt like sleeping, but it was his duty and he was going to fulfil that duty. When the fight really got going, he had the feeling that there wouldn't be anything else on his mind.

* * *

><p>As Toshiro jumped backwards to avoid a strike from the Soul, he glanced around to see how everyone was doing, knowing that Kanashimi could easily hold off their joint opponent. The first shinigami his eyes were drawn to was Matsumoto, and he frowned out of habit as he watched her fighting intensely. Yasutora and Rukia were both engaged in separate fights, and neither appeared to be getting the upper hand against their opponent, and Ishida was battling against Asa. It was an odd fight to watch, considering that the Quincy had a bow, and the Forgotten Soul was armed with daggers, but, once again, both of them seemed relatively equally matched. At least so far, anyway.<p>

Turning a little further, the captain's turquoise gaze landed on Ichigo, who was, as expected, fighting Koru. It appeared like a two-against-one fight, as another Soul was trying to attack the shinigami's back. Not exactly a fair fight, although Kurosaki seemed to be holding his ground.

'Hitsugaya,' Yuki appeared beside the other shinigami, her zanpakuto raised and ready, 'Ready?'

There was a clear message in her tone, and Toshiro nodded, 'Right,'

With a single swing of Hyorinmaru, he sent a writhing dragon of ice flying towards the Soul. Instead of just slamming into it, the dragon curled around his body, solidifying immediately. Brown eyes narrowed and both captains could tell he was about to break out of the ice.

'Not so fast,' Yuki appeared before the temporarily trapped Soul and heartlessly slashed her zanpakuto across his body, shattering ice and tearing a great gash from shoulder to hip. The usually half narrowed eyes of the man widened and a silent groan of agony slipped from his throat.

As the rest of the ice vanished from around his body, the Soul stumbled forwards, falling to its knees in the air, one white knuckled hand on the hilt of his katana, and the other clutching his gaping wound.

'Interesting,' there was a note in Yuki's icily cold voice that Toshiro didn't recognise. She had been more wintry than usual since the fight began, but that tone . . . it was as if she had no emotions and lived simply to carry out her orders. Eliminating things that were threats, and if he hadn't seen her memories and didn't know her as much as he did, then he would've believed that she was simply a killer. He'd seen the way she hadn't hesitated to deal that devastating blow to the defenceless Soul, and he wasn't sure what to think.

'How so?' he had a fairly good idea of what she was about to say, he'd suspected it before sending that dragon from Hyorinmaru, but he wanted to hear it from her. Although he wasn't sure if it was just to reassure himself that she was fighting for a reason other than killing. This was a side to the captain that he hadn't seen before, and he didn't know her. It was confusing and he wasn't sure what to do.

'He can't heal from the wound my zanpakuto dealt to him,' she flicked the blood from her blade, 'It makes sense now, those two avoided my katana in the World of the Living too,'

'I see,' trying to shake the doubt from his mind, Toshiro focused solely on their opponent, 'So we can use that,'

'Right,' nodding, Yuki met the Soul's gaze, seeing it shaking in fury, 'We certainly can,'

Not stopping to think about the incredibly dark way she said 'we', Toshiro immediately began trying to re-trap the Soul in more ice. He began engaging it in close quarter combat, ignoring the muddy brown first running along the blade and simply releasing more of his cold reiatsu to combat it.

Yuki watched the sparring briefly, taking a moment to recollect her thoughts. Something was tearing through her mind, discarding the parts that made her _her, _and moving deeper, into the pitch dark of the lowest levels of her mind. She knew that Hitsugaya had sensed a change in her behaviour, after all it was hard to ignore when someone suddenly became cold and vicious as if a coin had been flipped and the other side had been on top. Still, it was something impossible to prevent, so she had to make do with telling herself that she'd explain later.

Shaking her head abruptly, the Third Division captain released her zanpakuto, and then leapt forwards, and, in the swirl of attacks that followed, the Soul received many a light wound.

* * *

><p>'Fall back!' it was sudden, especially since there didn't seem to be anything happening to warrant such an action, but Koru disengaged from his fight with Ichigo, and vanished, appearing in the sky some distance away.<p>

The other Forgotten Souls disappeared and began to group around the green eyed man, Bikuta arriving last after sending a final shot of fire at Renji. Chihime, interestingly, had a Homonka on her right arm, and it was obviously annoying her that it wouldn't go away, no matter how much she stared at it.

The shinigami and humans paused, waiting for something that they knew would happen, although no one knew what.

Then Koru and Bikuta began speaking, but it wasn't their voices coming from their throats, 'How troublesome, I was hoping that you'd all die quickly and then our revenge could truly begin to blossom,' the tone was arrogant and condescending but intelligent, 'Well, it can't be helped,' both men raised their arms, 'Everyone, please prepare,' grey energy began pulsing along their arms, 'This shouldn't take a moment,'

As the group watched, the grey reiatsu of each of the Forgotten Souls burst from their bodies, rushing in a deadly torrent of insubstantial ash towards them.

* * *

><p>Yuki saw two things in the same instant. The first was the wave of deadly reiatsu, which would be absorbed into the shinigami's bodies and instantly disable them, and the second was Hitsugaya Toshiro, standing near his Lieutenant, a look of mild surprise on his face.<p>

Not hesitating once, the captain vanished from her position at the edge of the group, and appeared in the centre, standing metres in front of Ichigo, who was positioned right in the middle. She sheathed her zanpakuto in a fluid movement, and then raised her arms, black kido light sparking along her hands.

As the torrent of reiatsu touched her body, there was a moment where time seemed to slow, and everyone thought it would rush past her any consume them, but then the reiatsu spiralled, drawing itself into Kanashimi's chest, and vanished.

'Huh?' Renji couldn't help the dumbfounded exclamation that slipped from his mouth as he wondered where all that spiritual pressure had gone. His eyes fell to the Third Division captain, who was kneeling on the ground, breathing deeply, with one hand pressed to her chest.

Koru and Bikuta began speaking in unison again, 'My, my, you're quite the brave one, aren't you. Taking so much bad energy really isn't good for the system though,' both men stepped forwards, 'Don't you remember what happened to them?' they pointed to Renji, Ikkaku and Yumichika, 'And him too,' Ichigo found two people pointing fingers at him and it made him very uncomfortable.

'I remember,' Yuki stood carefully, raising her head to gaze at the pair, 'I took the reiatsu from them so it couldn't happen again,'

Recalling the blood on Kanashimi's hand and the way Kurosaki had suddenly been revived, Toshiro couldn't help but feel even worse about that situation.

'Let's see what'll happen to you, hmm?' Koru spoke alone this time, although it still wasn't his voice, 'Although I think you might be surprised,'

In a flash, grey reiatsu had burst from Yuki's body, creating a viciously flaring pillar which pierced the sky and shot out metres from her figure. The captain of the Third Division took a shaking step away from the shinigami and humans, obviously trying to prevent the reiatsu from reaching them. Then there was another moment of suspended animation, and Kanashimi Yuki collapsed.

* * *

><p>'What just happened?' Ichigo was staring at Kanashimi's unmoving form, and not seeing anything, 'What just happened?' and then he blinked, 'Did she just do that <em>again<em>?'

'Don't be an idiot! This is different,' Rukia was just as shocked, although she tried to hide it, 'You saw it, do the math,'

'This had nothing to do with mathematics,' the orange haired teenager was most glad for something to distract him from reality, even if it was only for the briefest of moments.

'Whatever, it's a figure of speech,' the petite shinigami was also glad for the conversation.

'Is she . . . dead?' Orihime and Unohana appeared, and the teenager's tone was frightened, wavering.

Toshiro didn't blink when he spoke, 'Could any of you deal wounds to them that didn't heal?'

'No,' Hisagi wasn't seeing the relevance of the question, especially considering what had just happened.

'She could,' everyone fell silent as the Tenth Division captain continued, 'They couldn't heal when she cut them,' he paused, 'So I guess she's a threat to their existence. Or at least more than we are,'

A kido light suddenly sprung from Unohana's hands, meeting with the fallen captain's body and exploding in a faint shower of light. There was a sad sigh as the woman realised that Kanashimi still rejected the kido she tried to use.

She was about to speak when Yuki stood suddenly, unstable on her feet and deathly pale. No one spoke for a while, as they just watched Kanashimi's swaying figure.

'_Your_ reiatsu is pretty evil, don't you think,' the two Forgotten Souls began talking once more, 'We don't like it much,' they both grinned, 'But then again, you're like us. You were forgotten when you died,' the pair then laughed, 'Maybe even _before _you died! So you're one of us, right?'

The was a tense silence before Koru continued alone, 'You can handle our reiatsu pretty good, and you know all about us, when you put your mind to it, so it's not that unbelievable,'

The shinigami and humans couldn't believe what they were hearing. The thoughts in their heads were a confused whirl. Was that how Kanashimi found the gateway . . . twice? Was that how she knew how this dimension was formed? Was that another reason why none of the Forgotten Souls had ever really attacked her?

Toshiro was silent too, remembering what he'd seen and heard about Kanashimi's accelerated healing. Was it restoration like the Souls? He couldn't tell, but he knew it wasn't Hollow regeneration.

'It doesn't matter!' Ichigo's voice broke the tense quiet, 'She's on our side and she's fighting with us! She's our friend!'

Bikuta spoke condescendingly, 'Do you really believe that, Kurosaki?'

Koru continued seamlessly, 'She's always been one of us. Her memory is just a bit muddled,'

'Ain't that right, Yuki?' the other man finished, peering down at the shaking captain as if in concern.

* * *

><p>Yuki straightened and stared, then she raised her hands to her head as energy swept through her mind, tearing a path through her thoughts.<p>

_I heal fast, even for a shinigami._

_I use odd kido, spells that might not fully be kido._

_People want to forget me,_ the image of the Head Captain erasing everyone's memories sprung up in her mind, _They don't want anyone to know about me._

_I remember my human life, these Souls obviously do to, _she recalled what Koru had said about being a famous singer.

_I'm _not _normal. _

It seemed that there were so many other small things that were different about her. She was never really wanted. The fact that she could be a Forgotten Soul probably even had something to do with how she'd become a captain, and not by any of the three conventional ways. Not that killing a captain and taking their position was exactly _conventional_.

The grey reiatsu surged from her body once again, creating a pillar into the sky above her. As the gathered group watched, her lavender eyes widened slightly, and then tendrils of black sprung into the mix as well, creating a torrential buffet of air pressure.

The captain's haori and shihakusho flickered suddenly, and then her shinigami outfit changed to a modern, combat style one. Black cargo pants, combat boots and a sleeveless, formfitting shirt formed over her body, and a black leather band formed around her neck. The zanpakuto sheath at her waist vanished as well, and everyone could only assume that her weapon would be like the others now. Gone until it was needed. Needed to kill.

Kanashimi Yuki looked like one of _them_. Although to a human, she would've just looked like a punk without piercings or tattoos.

'See? You're the only one who could be changed,' the mocking voice sounded once more, as Koru and Bikuta laughed, 'The others can get seizures, fall unconscious, even _die_, but you're the only one we can change,' they stared hard at her, 'Because you are, and always have been, one of us,'

* * *

><p>Author's Note:<p>

A new development . . . although I'm not sure how predictable it was, hopefully it wasn't _too _obvious . . .

And perhaps this is what Urahara was worried about . . .


	58. Chapter 24: You Are Mine

_Chapter 24: You are Mine_

Yuki could see all of her memories floating before her, as if suspended on invisible wings. Everything she'd been unsure about became clear with the single realisation that she really wasn't who she thought she was. Who she wanted to be.

Everything she'd done since becoming a shinigami seemed false. The Head Captain erasing everyone's memories cut deeply into her mind, as well as the knowledge about herself that she'd never known. Her death as a human even seemed a little different, more horrific than she could imagine, although she didn't need to as she could see what had really happened on the small rectangular screen before her.

She was hovering in blackness, with thousands of clear panels drifting around her, catching the light and revealing the recollections they held. She wondered if she was in her mind somewhere, but it didn't feel like it. She wondered if she was dead, but it didn't feel like it either, especially since she'd experienced being dead before. And she was still technically dead as a shinigami too . . .

Shaking her head, she suddenly realised how easy it had been, just then, to admit that she wasn't alive anymore. To acknowledge the fact that shinigami weren't alive, and to be okay with it.

Those thoughts led Yuki to the main reason _why _she'd been able to relive her memories without losing her sanity.

Hitsugaya Toshiro.

And as the name appeared in her head, she decided that she wanted to stay in this darkness forever. Because how could she be trusted now that everyone could see the form she'd unconsciously hidden deep inside her mind, deeper even than her darkest and most terrifying memories?

As deep as . . . _that_.

_That _something that she couldn't yet recall . . .

* * *

><p>'What's going on?' the reiatsu that was pulsing from Kanashimi had died away and now she was simply standing there, facing away from them, no longer unsteady, in a way that, although she appeared relaxed, weight slightly to one side, said that if they came close, she'd kill them without hesitation.<p>

Ichigo was staring, like almost everyone, and he was trying hard to keep his mouth from hanging open dumbly, 'What just happened?'

He seemed to be asking that question far too much for his liking, but he couldn't wrap his head around the idea that the shinigami captain of the Third Division had just turned into one of the Forgotten Souls. Or at least it _looked _like it because of her new 'uniform'.

'It appears that Kanashimi Yuki has turned into one of the Forgotten Souls,' Rukia sounded oddly serious and her voice was perfectly polite, 'Is she now an enemy?'

Turning, the petite shinigami stared at her Nii-sama, as if asking him and him only.

Byakuya didn't meet Rukia's gaze, as his attention was taken up completely, alternating from the Souls in the air, and the figure standing on the ground before them.

'What should we do?' since none of the Souls were making any move to attack, perhaps waiting for one of the shinigami, or maybe even Kanashimi, to move first, Ichigo was at a loss of what to do.

Without warning, the substitute shinigami walked forward and reached out, as if to touch Kanashimi's shoulder.

'Ichigo!' Rukia's warning shout came a second too late.

Yuki spun, one hand lightly knocking Ichigo's shoulder, taking his balance easily, and then she leapt into the air, foot swinging down and slamming into his chest, sending him flying away, landing in a heap at Rukia's feet.

Violet eyes were shaded and dark, skin was still an unhealthy white, and the woman's body was trembling slightly with the effort of staying still. Staying still and not jumping forwards and finishing the job with quick, efficient, heartless viciousness.

* * *

><p>Toshiro was frozen, staring at Ichigo, watching as Orihime ran over, calling on her powers in order to heal his broken ribs and badly bruised shoulder. He couldn't comprehend what had just happened. Ever since coming into Ushinawa, everything was happening in a surreal way, but still, this was a massive shock. His heart was pounding away at a pace so rapid that he couldn't begin contemplating about counting the beats. Turquoise eyes moved to Kanashimi, taking in her posture, one of either a trained killer or a model who's supposed to look like a trained killer just so that the photo shoot is more effective, and he blinked.<p>

Then, as the Forgotten Souls moved forward in a rush, materialising their weapons and joining their former opponents once more, the white haired captain used a single shunpo to take himself to Kanashimi's side.

* * *

><p>Yuki blinked slowly, her mind surfacing from her memories once more, replacing the base instincts that had been keeping her body alive. She saw empty space in front of her, the green of the grass, blue of the sky, brown of the trees and dirt. But behind her, she could hear the sounds of fighting and she understood that everyone must be battling once more.<p>

Looking down, lavender focused and she blinked, realising that her hakama had been replaced with black combat pants, and that her waraji and tabi had been replaced with boots. Shifting her gaze upwards, she realised that she was wearing a fighter's top. The woman nearly coughed, a reflex response, when she felt the leather around her neck.

Sensing someone appear beside her, and knowing exactly who it was, Yuki turned, long fringe falling further across her eyes, 'Hitsugaya,'

'Kanashimi?' it was a question as Toshiro didn't know whether or not he was about to be attacked. Still, somehow it seemed like the shinigami captain was here now, not whatever had been there before.

'Yes?' she was surprised, but something was beginning to put pressure on the seal in her head so her tone was blank.

'Are you alright?' wondering what was wrong as well as why none of the Souls were attacking them, Toshiro leaned forwards slightly.

'I think so,' pausing, Yuki felt a harsh throb ripple through her mind, 'But they're right, aren't they? I'm one of them,'

She sounded so sorrowful, like a child who had just been told that all of their dreams are worthless and unattainable, a child who has just had their dreams shattered before their eyes.

'You're a shinigami,' Toshiro's tone was resolute, 'And a captain at that,'

Her hands raised, covering her face, 'My healing ability is like there's,' her lavender eyes closed, 'I took the grey reiatsu from Kurosaki and the others when they were hurt, Inoue too,' her hands tensed, fingers curling slightly, 'My reiatsu, the reiatsu I always keep sealed, it's trying to break free. Trying to join with the grey reiatsu,'

'Stay strong,' somehow, the image of Kanashimi's reiatsu killing a shinigami back in the Shino Academy appeared in Toshiro's head, and he was worried about what could happen if that same spiritual pressure went out of control and tried to join with the ashy grey reiatsu, 'Don't let that seal break,'

A smile touched Yuki's face as she lowered her hands, 'I can't, Hitsugaya. I can't hold it back,' already tendrils of grey were trailing patterns in the air around her, 'Go away. Away, away, to the World of the Living away,' she touched his shoulder, 'Now,'

'Wait-,' and then the white haired captain found himself flying through the air, propelled by a hidden kido. Matsumoto caught and stabilised him, but his attention was solely on Kanashimi.

Black reiatsu ripped from her body, sending out shockwaves even more powerful than the last ones. Two of the Forgotten Souls burst into ash as they strayed too close to the spiritual pressure, and the eyes of the shinigami widened.

'Look out!' as Ichigo shouted, he turned, just in time to see Orihime's Santen Kesshun shield crack and disintegrate, 'Get down!'

He wasn't sure if that would save them, but since the reiatsu seemed to be flaring mostly higher in the air this time, he figured it might work.

'Is she trying to kill us?' Ikkaku sounded grumpy, 'What a mean way to do it, we don't even get to fight,'

No one responded, but only Toshiro knew how much it pained the Third Division captain to release her reiatsu.

'Is she dying? She's a liar,' Yachiru's giggle sounded and everyone suddenly felt cold, 'Just like them, aren't you Snow-chan,'

The grey was beginning to seep into the black and the Tenth Division captain could see violet eyes closing in agony. He didn't know what to do, then suddenly Kanashimi turned slightly further, catching his gaze and holding it.

And, despite the raging wind the reiatsu was whipping up, and the sound of trees cracking and people's tense breathing, Toshiro could hear her perfectly when she spoke.

Raising her right arm, Yuki materialised a katana like one of the Forgotten Souls. Then she turned to face the shinigami fully and slashed the air in front of her, violet eyes shaded, 'Shatter,' black feathers burst outwards, fluttering away instantly, 'Kuro-kyō Shinu Meikin,'

Looking up, her gaze intensified and Toshiro found that he couldn't look away, 'I am a shinigami,' as she spoke, the reiatsu fluctuated wildly, grey beginning to separate from the black, 'A shinigami,'

There was an outrush of cold air, and then the grass and trees began to shrivel up, revealing the barren, dry yellow grey rock underneath. Ushinawa's true landscape. A great cracking sound made everyone look up, and then a lone figure appeared in the sky, garbed completely in black.

As Yuki's black kido spread out from the blade of her zanpakuto, her reiatsu vanished from the air, and the grey was left to disintegrate. Then the captain shuddered, Soul outfit folding seamlessly into her shihakusho, haori fluttering from her shoulders, and then she too turned to look at the sky.

When she spoke, her voice was calm, cold, and dark, 'Ushinawa Kōsetsu,' her head tilted to one side and she raised her zanpakuto, 'Leader of the Forgotten Souls,'

* * *

><p>Ushinawa Kōsetsu began laughing, a harsh, mocking sound that made Orihime flinch, 'Well done, Yuki,' his tone turned fond, 'You've gotten stronger,'<p>

None of the gathered shinigami, or humans, knew where to look. The Forgotten Souls gathering before their leader and bowing, the captain standing before them, ready to right, each other, the new barren landscape . . .

Then Kōsetsu laughed once more and the decision was made for them. As everyone looked up, the man raised a pale hand. His grey eyes, laced lightly with pale blue, glowed with excitement, and were almost covered by his black hair.

He smiled, a perfect, mocking expression, one that clearly showed how superior he believed himself to be, and spoke, 'But how strong, Yuki? Will you be able to save yourself this time?'

And, as he finished speaking, he jerked his arm to one side and the reiatsu of the Forgotten Souls before him shot upwards, increasing in power.

'Go,' Kōsetsu sounded tired now, looking like a model or a famous actor, lazily leaning backwards in the air, crossing his arms, and watching as everything panned out exactly the way he'd planned, 'Bring my Yuki to me,'

* * *

><p>Author's Note:<p>

The leader has been revealed . . . what trouble is that guy going to cause? Or what's he _already _caused? Am I saying too much . . .?

Probably.


	59. Chapter 25: Continuation of a Battle

_Chapter 25: Continuation of a Battle_

Yuki steeled herself as the first Soul slammed his blade into hers. Kōsetsu was watching intently from the sky, she could feel his intense gaze on her as she fought, and she gritted her teeth at the thought of the man.

'Tori no Namida,' swinging her released zanpakuto, she directed the daggers of ice at the Souls around her. As the captain's blade slid between the ribs of one of the faceless Souls and she tore it free, ignoring the ash that drifted away as he disintegrated, the other shinigami jumped forwards, intent on helping her. Koru and Bikuta whirled around, joining their blades together at the hilts and creating a ring of fire around Kanashimi and the others, before moving away from each other.

'You five,' Koru snapped impatiently at the faceless Souls who weren't doing anything, 'Get over there and keep them back,'

Nodding, the small group passed easily through the flames, not affected by them at all, and engaged the shinigami and humans in battle.

* * *

><p>Toshiro was fighting as quickly as he could. He could see Yuki beyond the mix of brown and coffee coloured fire. She was being attacked from all sides and already he could see blood dripping from some of the Souls' blades.<p>

Fear and anger rippled through his mind, but he forced himself to stay calm. Too many times already he'd made foolish mistakes due to his blind fury. Turning, he watched as Byakuya jumped backwards, landing lightly. The stoic captain was glaring at Hiroki with an expression of absolute disgust. The Soul, however, was grinning happily and trying not to look too pitiful.

Raising his arm, the Sixth Division captain dropped his blade, ignoring Hiroki's astonished expression, 'Bankai. Senbonzakura Kegeyoshi,'

As the rows of blades rose around him, scattering into pieces and swirling around him like a mass of cherry blossom petals, Byakuya's gaze hardened, 'Gōkei,'

As every single one of the people fighting near the captain could hear what he'd just said, the shinigami immediately used shunpo to get as far away as possible. Toshiro only just alighted in the air next to Matsumoto before the swirling sphere of blades collapsed into itself. They all heard Hiroki's agonised shout before the blades drifted away, once again going invisible.

Byakuya appeared beside Rukia, and the petite shinigami turned to her brother, 'You're very serious today, Nii-sama,'

'That man had no principles,' his tone was indifferent, as if he was brushing the matter aside now that it had been dealt with, 'And we'll never leave if we don't start fighting seriously,'

'Too right!' somehow Kenpachi had managed to hear what Byakuya had said, despite being on the ground below, and also fighting, 'Although you should've finished him off ages ago!'

The Eleventh Division captain's comment was duly noted and then immediately discarded and ignored by Byakuya, who found the behaviour of the other shinigami rather _disturbing_.

'How come he didn't regenerate?' Ichigo was glaring at Koru when he spoke, but the question was directed at Byakuya.

'Because there wasn't anything left to regenerate from,' Rukia sighed, sometimes confused with how slow her friend could be, 'Nii-sama is very efficient,'

Ignoring the twitch that was threatening to begin above his left eye, Ichigo turned to the others, 'Come on! We've got to hurry of else we can't help her,' and with that he pointed to Kanashimi, who was being forced into the flames, and then he turned to Koru, resolve flaming in his eyes, 'Bankai! Tensa Zangetsu!' he released his Bankai again, and then he smirked, 'Getsuga Tensho!'

As the arc of energy swept towards the Soul, he used his enhanced shunpo to appear behind him, repeating the action.

The seriousness of the situation finally set in, and the other captains blinked. It seemed that even now, when Ushinawa was revealed to be a dry desert, it still had the effect of dulling everyone's reactions.

'Come,' Unohana vanished with Orihime, appearing near Nanao and Yachiru, and the woman frowned worriedly. She could only hope that Kanashimi could hold on until they got there.

* * *

><p>'Bankai! Hihio Zabimaru!' Renji sent his zanpakuto hurtling through the air towards Bikuta, not willing to let that guy get away with <em>anything<em>, 'Hikotsu Taiho!'

He wasn't surprised when the bolt of energy didn't affect the Soul, or if it did, he couldn't see it, but he wasn't going to give up.

Further over, Soifon landed another hit on Chihime, although, rather unfortunately, it wasn't on the same spot as before. Both of them were getting rather cross, but neither had lost her cool yet.

'You can't win,' Chihime laughed as she swung her whip, smiling daintily as the lash cut a line on Soifon's cheek, 'I have a longer reach than you,'

'But I'm faster,' appearing behind the Soul, the captain was about to drive Suzumebachi into her arm for a second time, when the woman spun, kicking out in a fashion that made her skirt look rather . . . revealing. Soifon's eyes widened as the heel of the Soul's shoe dug into her side, and she was thrown away in the air, tumbling over herself again and again.

'What?' she rose unsteadily, one hand touching the thin but deep wound, 'Who wears heels that long?'

'I do, sweetheart,' smiling her sweet, sadistic smile, Chihime appeared before her, leaning forwards like she was about to kiss the shinigami's forehead, 'You're so cute, you know that?'

Soifon glared at her as she leapt away, using her fastest shunpo to begin attacking the woman from all sides, and then accelerating further when she still couldn't land a hit. She was going to beat this Forgotten Soul.

* * *

><p>'All Waves, Rise now and Become my Shield, Lightning, Strike now and Become my Blade. Sōgyo no Kotowari,' since Ukitake wasn't feeling his best, just releasing his zanpakuto caused his breath to become short and he felt suddenly quite faint, the tips of the twin blades digging into the ground. He couldn't work out why he always needed to take long breaths before and after releasing his katana, because it was rather impractical in the thick of a battle.<p>

Beside him, easily fending off the two Souls that kept bugging them with his unreleased zanpakuto, Kyoraku paused, 'Are you alright?'

'No,' deciding to be truthful rather than look pathetic if he fell down in a couple of seconds, Jushiro sighed deeply. Or, more accurately, he exhaled heavily and then he hyperventilated because he lost too much air and couldn't breathe.

'Have you got some sort of plan?' the Eighth Division captain found himself glancing upwards, where Kōsetsu was sitting in the sky, watching everything as if he found it completely uninteresting.

'That's right,' turning abruptly, the white haired man marched off in the opposite direction, leaving his old friend staring at him dumbstruck.

Shunsui batted the two Souls away, then used kido to _keep_ them away, at least for a short while, and followed the other captain as he walked over to the wall of fire, 'Oh,' he scratched his cheek, 'Are you sure that's wise?'

'I've got to do something,' Ukitake had obviously got his head set on doing this, and nothing was going to stop him. Kyoraku had the odd suspicion that even if he knocked his long-time out cold he would still sleep walk over there and finish off the job.

'Can you take it all?' it didn't stop him being concerned though, as he hurried after Jushiro, 'You'd better not kill yourself,'

'It'll be fine,' at that point the white haired captain began coughing and, although the man tried to hide it, the other captain saw the slight amount of blood that was on his friend's hand, 'Really,'

Not commenting, Kyoraku remained silent and he watched as Ukitake put the tip of his left katana into the flames. The brown and coffee coloured fire seeped into the blade, lighting it up, and then Ukitake raised the right katana, pointing it at Bikuta. The fire ran through the cord that connected the blades, and then it moved through the right blade.

'That's going to take a while,' looking at how little the flames had been reduced, Kyoraku couldn't help but feel faintly amused.

Ukitake just frowned and then he tightened his grip on his zanpakuto's blades. Half a second later, the flames around Kanashimi dropped to half their previous height and ferocity and then a bolt of energy shot from the zanpakuto and hit Bikuta squarely, narrowly missing Renji as the Lieutenant jumped backwards.

'My bad,' as Jushiro sent him a withering look, one that clearly said something along the lines of 'don't underestimate me', Kyoraku couldn't help but chuckle, 'Once more and then we should be able to get through,'

Ukitake nodded, looking very determined, and then he threw his hands up into the air, the point of one of his blades almost poking Shunsui's eye out, and crumpled to the ground in a faint.

'Oh boy,' sighing deeply, the Eighth Division captain wondered what he was supposed to do next.

* * *

><p>Ichigo was getting angry. He really couldn't help it, because of Koru's mocking smile and his lazy manner and dismissal of the substitute shinigami's abilities. No matter how hard the orange haired teenager struck out, his blows were always countered and then he'd be dodging as quickly as he could in order to avoid being skewered.<p>

'Is something wrong, Kurosaki?' Koru was privately irritated by the shinigami's persistence. He couldn't believe that the guy kept fighting even though he'd been shot, slashed, and stabbed before, although he seemed in pretty good health at the moment.

_Thanks to _her, Koru thought in a vexed way as he parried Ichigo's next blow, _The boss really likes her but,_ glancing behind him and watching as more of Kanashimi's blood was spilt, he grimaced slightly, _He's got an odd way of showing it. I mean, even I can tell that that's not exactly the normal way of showing you're interested in someone,_ as he half-heartedly tried to stab Ichigo again, he continued his internal monologue, _Although the manner of the boss' interest remains to be seen. Still, she's like one of us, really. But she's also like one of _them, _and she certainly can't heal as fast as us_, he kicked out, _And she's very cute._

'Are you concentrating?' Ichigo was getting really, _really_ frustrated now. So much, that he lowered Tensa Zangetsu and just glared.

'Not at all,' Koru also lowered his blade, 'I was thinking,'

'You were . . . thinking?' whatever he'd expected, Ichigo found that 'thinking' hadn't been in his own head at all, 'About what?'

'Her,' the Soul found that he didn't mind chatting to the orange haired human as much as he might've thought, 'Don't you think she's cute?'

Ichigo was dumbstruck. He really couldn't believe that his enemy, someone he wanted to kill, was asking his opinion on a _girl_. And not just any girl, a shinigami captain, for . . . Ichigo paused . . . clouds's sake. Then he almost hit himself for not thinking anything a little more intellectual. Even something that actually made sense would've been better.

'Uh,' his reply left something to be desired, as it occasionally did, but Koru didn't seem to mind.

'Anyway, the boss wants her for some reason,' he was talking idly like it didn't matter to him, swinging his katana absently, 'I don't know what it is, exactly, but it's something to do with her power. Or at least, I think so,'

'Are you seriously just talking to me, like, in a _normal_ way?' Ichigo couldn't get past that fact, and consequently, he didn't really take note of what the Soul was saying.

'I was human once,' Koru sounded insulted, and his grip on the hilt of his blade tightened, 'Oh look, the boss wants to say something,'

'Everyone,' Kōsetsu's charming voice rang out, easily reaching the ears of every single person, 'May I have a word?'

All of the Forgotten Souls stopped fighting, and none of the shinigami were so desperate to attack them when they weren't looking, so they stopped too.

'Some of you might be wondering what I want her for,' he pointed at Yuki, who was still standing in the circle of flames, injuries slowly healing, 'It's not just because of her power, or the fact that she can kill us when almost nobody else can,' his gaze flicked to Byakuya, who closed his eyes and pretended not to notice, the pointed stare being directed his way, 'It's also because she belongs to this place. I believe that she is Ushinawa's second ruler, and as such, we should help her take her true place, here with us. Beside me,' he smiled, 'To aid us in our revenge against the World of the Living, which forgot us, and the Soul Society, which rejected us!' he held out his hand, 'Yuki,'

* * *

><p>Author's Note:<p>

So . . . is that seriously why he wants her?

And poor Ukitake . . . he really was trying his best . . .


	60. Chapter 26: My Last Sacrifice for You

_Chapter 26: My Last Sacrifice for You_

Yuki could feel the part of her that _was _a Forgotten Soul stirring and stretching, trying to break free from her control again. There was something else as well, something that made her chest ache. She glared at Kōsetsu as he stood so confidently in the sky. She needed a little more time to think about what to do, and she had an idea.

Raising her blade before her, the flat of it almost touching her nose, Yuki spoke, 'Yami no Tate,'

Droplets of black energy rose from the tip of the katana, seemingly defying gravity, and then she slashed the air in a single horizontal line before her. Three seconds later, the sky went dark and everyone else blinked in surprise, having great difficulty seeing what was directly in front of them. Toshiro found that he could still see, although it was obvious his opponent couldn't, and he wondered why.

'Not good enough,' everyone heard the laughter, but they didn't see it when Kōsetsu materialised a long katana in his left hand, 'Try again, Yuki,'

Half a second after Toshiro decided that he really didn't like the way that man said 'Yuki', there was a blinding flash of light and the darkness was torn to shreds, revealing Kōsetsu and his blade, which was creating the pale blue light.

Kōsetsu was surprised when Yuki wasn't where she had been before, but he sensed movement behind him and spun around, blocking her strike, 'Be careful, Yuki. That's rather dangerous,'

'Hinshi no tori,' hearing her call out another technique somehow made Toshiro feel concerned. It was almost like she had such an intense need to defeat that man, that she discarded each ability as soon as it failed her once. That was something very worrying, as it meant that she wasn't fully considering her actions each time she attacked.

_I've seen three of her zanpakuto's techniques today, _he thought, _And it strikes me as odd because she doesn't seem like the type of person to use them when they aren't absolutely necessary._

Turning his attention back to the battle in the air above, the white haired captain watched as the reflective edge of Kuro-kyō Shinu Meikin began to glow with a black light. It was strangely similar to the fire that ran along the Souls' weapons, and the thought was disturbing.

'Aren't you determined, Yuki,' Kōsetsu spoke as if it were a compliment, even as he dodged her next strike, 'But you're really holding back,'

Yuki frowned slightly and then she began to utilise more of her true speed. The shinigami and humans below watched in confusion as the fighters above began moving so fast, and exchanging blows even faster, that they were hardly visible.

'This is getting more unrealistic by the second,' Uryu sighed deeply, making the comment in a casual manner, and noting that Asa, despite being his opponent, nodded in agreement.

_Everything here is strange_, the Quincy thought, _It's hard not to believe that I'm sleeping and that this is all a dream. Wait . . . didn't I think that before?_

'Want me to stick you?'

Uryu blinked when he realised he'd been speaking aloud, and, glancing at Asa, who was twirling two of his daggers around his hands, he shook his head, grimacing.

'No thanks,'

The blonde man shrugged offhandedly, completely unthreatening and friendly, 'Whatever you like,'

Uryu was getting confused with this whole place, and he decided he'd be glad when they were out of it.

* * *

><p>'Okay everyone,' Kōsetsu's katana pierced Yuki's chest and he turned, letting her slide from the blade and fall all the way to the ground below, 'Now that that's all done, you lot,' he gestured to the Souls, 'Get rid of that lot and then we'll deal with her. She's not dead, if you're wondering,'<p>

The shinigami were staring at him in frozen shock, barely reacting in time to stop the Souls from finishing them off immediately, and the humans were exactly the same.

Toshiro didn't hesitate in freezing his opponent and then rushing to Yuki's side, 'Kanashimi?'

The captain pushed herself up off the ground and stared at him, 'Hitsugaya,' she held out a hand and, after a moment's hesitation, he helped her up.

'What are you planning to do?' he could tell there was something on her mind.

She smiled slightly, wiping blood from her mouth, and then raised her zanpakuto, 'Bankai. Higeki-tekina Kuro-kyō Shinu Meikin,'

Ice flowed out across the ground underneath her, and black feathers fluttered away in the cool breeze. The zanpakuto's blade went completely black, while still maintaining its reflective edge, and it lengthened slightly. Then her shihakusho became more formfitting on her upper body, and she discarded her haori.

'Kanashimi,' Toshiro's tone was warning, as he knew that any bankai required a lot of reiatsu to maintain. Also, due to the state she was in, he had truly decided that she was just going to keep trying different techniques, one after the other, until she injured Kōsetsu. It was as if she'd thrown caution to the wind and was now jumping forwards without a care for her own safety.

'I'm sorry, Hitsugaya,' her lavender eyes were dark and there was blood smeared on her cheek, making her look rather wild, then she turned away, 'Kuroi Chi,'

As her katana began glowing with dark energy, she hesitated only once more before jumping forwards again, almost catching Kōsetsu by surprise.

'You are too persistent for your own good, Yuki,' the man sounded concerned, 'Just give up and lie there until all your little friends are dead and then we can figure out the best way to take our revenge on the Soul Society and the Human World,'

Swinging the zanpakuto and sending continuous blasts of energy at him, Yuki glared darkly, 'Not a chance,'

'Really?' as he drove his blade forwards, Kōsetsu suddenly noticed the way the woman was standing, it was slightly wrong, and so he turned around, raising his katana to block Yuki's strike, 'What _was _that?'

'An illusion,' in her head, the captain could see herself raising her blade and saying 'Zan Kaze', and then watching as the glowing circle formed around the tip of the zanpakuto, 'Kuro-kyō Shinu Meikin's perception changing technique,' she glanced at Hitsugaya, well aware that he'd be able to hear what she was saying. It was a similar technique to Aizen's Kyoka Suigetsu.

'Interesting, but it still didn't work, did it?' as he flicked his katana, sending a wave of pale blue fire at her, he was surprised when she didn't move.

'Kuro Kesshō no Hansha,' the shield was a black ice version of the Shikai barrier technique, but this time it didn't shatter.

Toshiro found himself stressing. Each time Kanashimi used another technique, it felt like some more hope was slipping through his fingers. It was an odd feeling, like time moving through an hour glass. Slowly but surely lessening the amount of sand in the top, letting it vanish away to the bottom.

As Kōsetsu's blade stabbed into her shoulder then side and she fell once more, Toshiro moved forwards again, grasping her shoulder when she tried to rise, 'You've got to stop,'

'But I can't,' she shook her head, violet eyes blank, 'Hitsugaya, I know a way to prevent the Forgotten Souls from regenerating,'

'What is it?' he wasn't sure he wanted to know, especially since the other captain's expression had gone all expressionless and distant.

Yuki stood, ignoring the blood flying from half healed wounds, and, moving away from Toshiro, she spun, holding out her zanpakuto, 'Shinu Kōri no Tori, Saishū-Tekina Gisei,'

As the white haired captain registered the meaning of each of her words, and forced his mind to put them together to form something he wished he'd never heard, Kuro-kyō Shinu Meikin released her final, ultimate offensive technique, abandoning all defence. Turquoise eyes widened as fine black wings of ice burst from Kanashimi's back, a few drops of blood flying out along with the feathers, and then the chain on the pommel lengthened, curling up her arm and around her neck.

Everyone stopped fighting, even the Souls, and they watched as the delicate wings flexed and the feathers of ice fluttered in the light breeze

Yuki turned her head and met Toshiro's gaze, and her whole body projected a single message.

_I'm sorry, Hitsugaya. I have to do this. It is one of my duties as a captain of the Gotei 13 to ensure the safety of human souls. Kōsetsu cannot be allowed to live, and it is his body which holds the souls of the others. With him alive, they can forever repair their damaged forms. This is the only way I know to kill him. I must kill him._

'Don't-,' Toshiro's voice was almost silent and he took a step forward.

Lavender eyes fixed him with a stare, and then Yuki spoke once more in a tone that was clearly audible to everyone present, although it was not loud, 'Chi no Uta,'

Toshiro heard words in his head and he found that this time it didn't bother him.

_Ultimate. Sure. Offense. Kill. Final. Blood. Technique. Shinu Kōri no Tori, Saishū-Tekina Gisei is used in conjunction with Chi no Uta. Ending. Ice. Death. Bird. Certain. Toll. _

Blood from Yuki's wounds curled up from the open gashes, twisting through the air like crimson ribbons, and curled around her zanpakuto's blade, freezing instantly along its length. The chain around her arm and neck shimmered and suddenly each link was a small, single edged blade, and the slightest movement dug them into Yuki's pale skin.

_There is a darkness in your heart,_

_Something even I cannot see,_

_But I cannot stop you to ask._

_The blood flowing in your veins,_

_Is death._

'This is Kuro-kyō Shinu Meikin's final technique,' Yuki's voice was quiet, 'I can kill him with this,'

'You're part Forgotten Soul as well, won't you stop regenerating too?' Toshiro decided that he'd focus on what she was saying right now, rather than what she was probably planning to do, although the line between the two was blurred.

'The pressure of the reiatsu inside the seal, and my injuries,' she shook her head, as if amused at something, 'It won't matter much. And besides,' she looked up, 'I have to do this,' fingers tightening on the hilt of her zanpakuto, she added, 'If I hit him with this technique, there is no way he can survive. He is mine to kill, I will not fail,'

Toshiro found that he couldn't move as Yuki flexed her wings and then, with a powerful downward beat, she rose into the air. As she drew back her arm, the chain cutting deep into her skin, she raised her other hand and an unnamed black kido flew from her fingers, wrapping around Kōsetsu's form, binding him tightly.

Grey blue eyes widened in surprise as the katana pierced his chest and then the kido disintegrated. Yuki tilted her head upwards and stared intensely with her oddly coloured eyes. Seconds later, a crimson oriental lattice, a more intricate design of the zanpakuto's tsuba, shot from Kōsetsu's back, spreading out into the sky. Then her delicate wings of ice shattered into thousands of pieces and the chain shortened back to its usual length, tearing bloody lines along her pale skin.

Kōsetsu's gaze was still locked with Yuki's, and the man felt that there were words forming in his head.

_Goodbye, Kōsetsu. You were never able to reach the Soul Society in the end, were you? I'm sorry, Onii-chan . . . _

The man's eyes closed and the faintest of smiles touched his lips as he realised that the woman who had her blade buried hilt deep in his chest, had always known exactly what he'd wanted. Always known exactly who he really was. He realised that he could still have blocked her attack. And, as the lattice behind him lost form and fell in a rain of blood, his last breath slipped from a tired chest and then he was falling.

A few moments later, after lowering her katana, Yuki fell as well, faintly cursing the fact that she always seemed to be tumbling from the sky.

_Onii-chan, this is my last sacrifice for you_

* * *

><p>Author's Note:<p>

A suspenseful chapter, maybe . . .

I was wondering if anyone thinks this story will end as a tragedy or end happily . . . I myself am still unsure, so popular opinion may win out . . .

And is Kōsetsu really Yuki's brother?


	61. Chapter 27: Memories held in my Heart

_Chapter 27: Memories held in my Heart_

As Yuki dropped from the sky, landing in a crouch with one hand pressed against her chest, Toshiro appeared before her. His face betrayed every single one of his emotions.

'They can die now,' she coughed and blood fell from between her fingers, her hand only half hiding the now gaping wounds in her chest and side, 'Go, fight,'

'You can't die,' Toshiro's turquoise eyes were determined, 'You cannot die, do you hear me?'

'That was Kuro-kyō Shinu Meikin's ultimate offensive technique,' her voice made a strange whistling noise at one point, and she coughed more, paling further and looked positively anaemic, 'I'm not supposed to survive it,' looking over at Kōsetsu's body, which was slowly disintegrating into ash, she added, 'And neither was he, so I'm glad he didn't,' she blinked, 'Did you know that neither his soul, or any of theirs', will get to the Soul Society. They just vanish and . . . are forgotten,' for some reason she sounded saddened.

'That's absurd,' the white haired captain protested, referring to the part about _her _dying, not Kōsetsu, and ignoring all the rest, 'Why use it then?'

'To protect, to kill, to die,' violet eyes closed with the effort of talking.

'Unohana could save you,' Toshiro really wasn't going to give up so easily. Couldn't give up so easily.

'No,' looking into turquoise eyes, Yuki felt almost betrayed, 'You have to go and fight them while they cannot regenerate,' when there was no response, she added, 'I'll be okay,'

The lie was sour in her mouth, almost overwhelming the metal taste of her own blood.

Toshiro had one option. Others might have thought of more, but he saw only one. Sheathing Hyorinmaru, he put one hand on his head, and then focused on drawing out his full reiatsu. Pulling at any of the dormant spiritual energy within him. White light, faintly tinted with blue, burst from the captain, ice rippling away across the ground, and snow dust forming in the air. The sky went dark and heavy clouds blotted out the blue.

Yuki understood immediately the idea that the other captain had conjured, and she felt herself tense, 'Don't do it,' no answer, 'T-toshiro!'

The way she still stumbled over his name, even when she was dying, somehow made it all the more important to save her. Toshiro ground his teeth with the effort of forcing his power from his body. Looking at Kanashimi, turquoise eyes closed briefly, and then he directed the flow of reiatsu at her.

_Being near someone with a similar reiatsu helped in the restoration of mine._

It seemed like a lifetime ago that the Third Division captain had spoken those words.

A swirl of snow began circling the two shinigami, and Yuki felt a chill entering her body, turning her veins to ice. Lavender eyes flicked shut and, buried impossibly deep inside her mind, in the depths of her heart, the final, battered box of sealed memories burst apart.

* * *

><p>'<em>Yuki!' another visiting plus soul, a boy, running across the apartment towards her, 'Yuki!'<em>

'_Kōsetsu!' the girl spun around, ignoring her mother's shocked stare as the woman realised her three year old daughter was talking to ghosts again, and smiled happily, tilting her head to one side, black hair falling across her eyes, 'You came back!'_

'_Of course!' wrapping her tightly in his arms, the soul, only a couple of physical years older than her, smiled too. Stepping back, he grinned suddenly, 'Did you miss me?'_

_Yuki glared, the expression making her look quite fearsome, 'No!'_

_Kōsetsu was amused. He'd known the young girl for more than a year now, and they had a close, if not a little bit conflicting, relationship. He'd been drawn to her strong reiatsu and he openly admitted to being surprised the first time he'd seen her, a two year old who acted like a wise old lady. He stayed around the apartment as much as possible, but occasionally he'd go off in order to make sure not too many souls were hanging around just in case a Hollow came._

'_Well I missed you,' still smiling, the soul looked about carefully, noting the slight differences in the apartment since he'd last been there, about a month ago._

'_Onii-chan,' Yuki pushed the boy out of the room and into another one, the second sitting room. Jumping onto one of the couches, she blinked, examining the appearance of the boy she considered her older brother. His black hair, the same shade as hers, was a bit longer, the ends almost covering his eyes. She was slightly concerned to see some pale grey marring the bright blue of his eyes, but he looked happy enough and his smile was as wide and confident as usual.  
><em>_They were quite similar, physically, so they really _could _have been siblings._

'_So, what have you been doing?' Yuki waited until Kōsetsu had sat down too, before beginning what looked to be the start of a long session of questions._

'_Trying to leave,' his tone was serious, and his hands were clenched and eyes sad._

'_Leave?' she's heard him speaking of 'leaving' before, but, although she'd asked, he'd never explained what he meant. _

_Kōsetsu stared hard at Yuki, trying to decide whether or not he should tell her the truth of what he meant, sighing in a way that made him seem much older than his physical five years, he spoke, 'Leave this world, Yuki,' he looked away, 'I've heard there's a place called the Soul Society, where souls like me go. It's safer than here, because there are these people who protect the souls from the,' he paused, 'Bad spirits,'_

_He didn't want her to know about the Hollows or shinigami, or _anything_ else that might scare her. He didn't want to go either, but the Soul Society sounded like an amazing place, where you didn't need to eat or be scared of being eaten._

'_When are you leaving?' her tone was serene, understanding in a way that even true siblings might not have been able to comprehend, 'Onii-chan?'_

'_I can't go,' his tone was anguished, 'I can't leave this world,'_

'_I'm sorry, Kōsetsu,' Yuki moved over on the seat and hugged the soul tightly, 'I'm sure you'll get there soon, but, just for a while, stay with me,'_

'_Yuki,' relaxing, the boy closed his eyes and smiled contentedly._

* * *

><p><em>Yuki stood staring out her window, wondering when it would stop ra<em>_ining. She was thirteen, and it was the anniversary of Saki's second death, but she'd been unable to visit the place where the plus soul's real body lay._

_A knock on the door behind her made her blink, and then the teenager turned and moved towards it, one hand reaching from the doorknob. As she opened it, the thought that it could be dangerous crossed her mind, but she quickly dismissed it, believing that there was no angry person or spirit on the other side of the door._

'_Kōsetsu!' her shout might've disrupted the sleep of quite a few of the other residents in the building, but she didn't care, 'What happened to you?'_

_She hadn't seen her friend for three years, not since Saki had died and he'd arrived at the apartment smiling in a comforting way like usual. But now . . . he was covered in blood and his expression held only pain, anger and suffering._

'_Yuki-,' he fell forwards, legs unable to carry his weight any longer, and the girl reached out and caught him, gently guiding the boy to the couch in the living area._

'_What happened?' as she sat him down, Yuki stared hard at her old friend, 'Why are you hurt so badly?'_

'_Don't worry,' even as she watched, his wounds began to close ever so slowly, the blood flow stemming. As the girl handed him a wet cloth to wipe all of the liquid off with, he blinked and a faint smile touched his lips._

'_Onii-chan,' she still hadn't gotten out of that habit, although they hardly saw each other anymore, 'It's been a while,' she didn't ask how he could have accelerated healing, although she already knew she did._

'_It's good to see you again,' the teenager noticed that Yuki's eyes were fixed on his own, 'Is something wrong?'_

_Yuki was looking at Kōsetsu's eyes, thinking of the brilliant sky blue, and seeing only half of the colour. Streaks of thick grey were mingling with the blue of his irises._

'_Nothing,' she smiled, sitting down and taking back the cloth, then using it to wipe more blood from his face, wondering where the cuts had been before they'd healed, 'Welcome back,' ignoring the blood stained clothes of the older teenager, she hugged him tightly._

'_I'm back,' after only a moment's hesitation, Kōsetsu relaxed and returned the gesture, muscles immediately remembering how it felt to hold the girl, 'Sorry if I made you worry Yuki,'_

'_I believe in you, Kōsetsu,' her arms tightened once more around his chest. She knew he must have been trying to get to the Soul Society again, but she wasn't going to say it._

* * *

><p><em>Yuki was almost ready to leave her apartment and go to school, although she was about an hour and a half too early, when she heard a window slide open somewhere in the rooms she occupied. Frowning slightly, and picking up her sheathed zanpakuto from the table, she walked forwards silently, readying herself to open the bedroom door. After exhaling quietly, she twisted the handle and let it swing inwards, taking a single step inside and looking about, casting out all of her senses.<em>

'_Kōsetsu?' the eighteen year old girl stared at the man asleep on her bed, seemingly passed out. The window was open so she assumed he'd just come in through it, although how, she didn't know, considering the floor they were on._

'_Hey,' putting down the sheathed katana, Yuki walked over and shook her old friend none too gently, 'Wake up,'_

_Cracking open a single eyelid, Kōsetsu blinked when he saw the young woman staring down at him, 'Yuki?'_

_They hadn't seen each other in five years now, and they'd both changed. However, he could somehow tell that his friend hadn't gotten any better with her social skills and assumed that he was still the only person she really talked to, whenever he dropped by._

'_What are you doing?' she sounded vexed, and he wondered if he was going to make her late for school, 'Kōsetsu?'_

'_So I'm not your Onii-chan anymore?' sitting up, he grinned easily, resting his head against the wall behind the bed, 'You're so mean,'_

'_What?' realising that he hadn't answered the question, Yuki sighed, 'Really, what are you doing coming here again?'_

_She'd already decided that he'd still been unable to get to the Soul Society and she felt sad. After all, it pained her to watch her 'brother' suffer so badly._

'_I found out that you had a zanpakuto,' he pointed lazily to the blade on the small table against the opposite wall, 'So I came back,'_

'_Why?' it didn't make sense to her._

'_Because a zanpakuto can send souls to the Soul Society,' he blinked slowly, sitting up straighter, leaning forwards with a strange gleam in his eyes, 'I've seen it done,'_

'_What?' Yuki was surprised, and oddly wary of her long-time friend, putting up some of the walls she usually used to keep the cruel things people said to her at a distance, 'How?'_

'_It's called Konso,' his tone was intense, and his body was rigid with barely controlled energy, 'You put the end of the hilt to the forehead of the soul and then off it goes,'_

'_You want me to do that?' she was alarmed, having no knowledge of whatever he was talking about, 'What if it doesn't work?'_

_Kōsetsu leaned back a bit, his whole presence diminishing, when he spoke, his voice was filled with half concealed pain, 'Yuki, I'm twenty, and I've been waiting for sixteen years now, ever since I died as a child, to find a way to the Soul Society,' he rested his head on his hands, 'If it doesn't work, then it's just another method crossed off my list. I have nothing to lose,'_

'_And if it kills you?' she still didn't agree entirely with what he was saying because he seemed just a bit too desperate._

'_I don't have anything to live for,' his smile was ironic, 'And plus, I'm already dead,'_

_Yuki nodded slowly, stepping backwards to pick up her zanpakuto, 'Kōsetsu, if you're certain,' she left it as a question._

'_I'm certain,' his whole body seemed to exhale in a deep sigh of relief as he moved forwards, swinging his legs off the bed to sit at the very edge._

_Yuki stared at her friend, violet gaze easily picking the paleness of his skin and the grey that had almost completely eaten away the blue of his eyes. Her hand clenched on the hilt of her zanpakuto and she hesitated. It was what he wanted, most certainly, but she found that she wasn't able to draw her blade._

'_I can't,' she shook her head, moving back and opening the door, pausing, 'Kōsetsu-,'_

'_What?' the man leapt up, staring at her in disbelief, 'You can't be serious!'_

'_It's not my job,' Yuki turned and walked away, sensing movement behind her as the soul rushed forwards. She stopped and spun, holding up the sheath of the katana so that it met Kōsetsu's jaw, sending the man staggering backwards._

'_It's _not my job_,' cold anger flared as she recognised the faint pulsing of reiatsu coming from the man. If he was her friend, then he should just recognise that she wasn't trained in such an activity and let the matter lie._

'_Fine,' sounding suspiciously like a child who'd been denied something he dearly wanted, Kōsetsu walked past her and out of the apartment, not pausing once._

* * *

><p><em>Yuki stood in the warehouse where she'd died, watching as the flames died down and ash drifted away. Her thoughts were slowly settling but she wasn't going to admit to being . . . dead. It was an unrealistic and dangerous thought.<em>

_Looking around, she wondered why she was still in Karakura Town, not Kōsetsu's coveted Soul Society. _

_Kōsetsu._

_The thought was powerful and she recognised the fact that she wanted to apologise to him. A dull pain was beginning to wash over her body, slowly escalating into a fiery agony and she felt that she didn't have much time before she _was _pulled away into a different world._

'_Kōsetsu!' her cry was echoing, racing out from the building she was in, running along thread thin lines of reiatsu until it reached its destination._

'_Is something wrong, Yuki?' _

_The girl whirled around, lavender eyes widening as her friend appeared before the back of the warehouse. As she watched, a faintly glowing circle began forming on the wall behind him, and his reiatsu became visible, a swirling mass of slate-grey tinged only slightly with pale blue. The circle began pulsing, drawing the spiritual pressure from Kōsetsu and into its depths._

'_What's happening?' she watched as the remaining blue slowly bled from his eyes, remaining in the thinnest ring around his irises, 'What are you doing?'_

'_Taking control of a new world, Yuki,' he turned and stared at the disc, his posture oddly arrogant, 'One that was created when you died here today, the most terrible death in forty years. I can hear it,' his eyes closed, then he turned to her, 'You're like me now, we are,' a pause, then he smiled, 'The Forgotten Souls. I can hear it all, Yuki,' shaking his head now, the man sighed, 'That place will be called Ushinawa, and all we'll have to do is wait for more souls to come, and they _will _come,'_

'_What are you asking?' Yuki could hardly comprehend the words of someone she'd known for so long._

'_Come with me,' Kōsetsu took a couple of steps towards her, 'To the new dimension. We can take our revenge on the Soul Society and be freed from the burden of constant rejection,'_

_Yuki suddenly felt a great pull at her soul and she knew that some force was trying to get her to pass over, presumably to the Soul Society, 'Kōsetsu-,'_

'_Come on,' smiling in a familiar way, the soul held out his hand, 'Let's go,'_

_She didn't know what she was supposed to do. Here was the only person she could ever talk to, asking her to go to a new dimension that had supposedly been created when she _died_? And then there was also the increasing pull on her body, as if she was about to be wrenched away violently._

_Yuki walked forwards and reached out to take his hand, avoiding looking to the side in case she saw the shattered remains of her zanpakuto. As her hand slid into his, there was a moment of absolute silence, and then she was jerked backwards._

'_Kōsetsu!' the new movement was making her stagger back, trying to resist the pull of whatever force carried sous to the afterlife, her hand reached for his again, fingertips lightly brushing together, 'Come to the Soul Society. You always wanted to,'_

_There was a pause, in which she was suspended in the air, body stretched out behind her, and he was staring hard into her eyes. And then Kōsetsu lowered his hand and began to turn away, back towards the gateway._

_As the final tug sent her hurtling away, the last Yuki saw of her friend was him stepping into the grey, 'Kōsetsu!' her scream went unheard and then everything was black. And, in a terrified act of self-hatred, the soul pulled all of the painful memories in her mind together and sealed them with a black light that came from nowhere._

_The ones of Kōsetsu were hidden along with the others, and then she fell into restless unconsciousness, still faintly recalling the worthlessness of her own self._

* * *

><p>Author's Note:<p>

A bit more on Yuki's past, and her connection with Kōsetsu.


	62. Chapter 28: Fight Onwards

_Chapter 28: Fight Onwards_

Yuki was inside white, a swirling mass of white. Was it dust? No, it was snow, snow and ice. She realised that her eyes were slightly watery and she blinked.

_Kōsetsu,_ the thought was hollow, and her eyes darkened, _Another thing I managed to forget . . ._

In all the times that they'd spent together, she'd been the snow, and he'd been the snowfall. Together they had the ability to link the sky with the earth in a beautiful rain of white.

_I won't forget you again, _she never wanted to lose those fond recollections, the ones of the happy times they'd shared as children.

Kōsetsu had always just _been _there when she needed company most. He'd kept her from losing her will to fight after her parents had committed suicide, just remaining unseen beside her, pointing out the newly blooming flowers or the pretty butterflies. He'd arrived when Saki had been killed, smiling in a cheerful way and saying that the soul wouldn't have wanted her to be sad, no matter what, and then staying around for a while longer than usual. He'd randomly appeared at her doorstep a few times as well, sometimes just to say one thing and then wander off again, other times to stay, especially when he was injured.

As her thoughts drifted over each encounter she'd had with her old friend, Yuki realised that the memories she'd formed with Kōsetsu had been the ones that had been buried the deepest in her soul. The ones she'd found the hardest to cope with, she'd trusted enough to keep within her _heart_. She had hidden them the most efficiently as they truly were her most feared thoughts.

_Goodbye, Kōsetsu. You were never able to reach the Soul Society in the end, were you? I'm sorry, Onii-chan . . . _

The last words she'd spoken to him echoed in her head and she closed her eyes, letting the sounds of regret wash over her, drowning out everything else. She'd meant every word of those sentences. It was a simple way of saying farewell, to apologise, not just for killing him, but for not being strong enough to save him, and to say that she would always, always remember him, and that she never wanted to forget again.

_See Kōsetsu . . . you should always have a little more faith in your friends, no, always believe in your _family.

* * *

><p>'Yuki,'<p>

That sound was familiar and the shinigami captain wondered what it was. Then she suddenly wondered why she was in a sphere of moving snow. Blinking, Yuki tried to recall what had happened before her last hidden memories had been released.

'Hisughya,' her voice was breaking on every syllable and her throat burned. It felt like a whole seasons' worth of ice had been shoved down and, all in all, it made her practically unintelligible.

Toshiro raised an eyebrow in amusement as the other captain did a slow revolution, violet eyes focusing and then losing focus in quick succession. He could only imagine how disorientated she would be right about now. After all, as soon as his reiatsu had touched her own, the amount of ice and freezing wind that had been generated just hadn't been funny at all. Still, he bet Matsumoto was out there laughing on the other side of the swirling dome of ice.

And, in addition, she'd almost been dead, and it was rather astonishing that she was walking about now, not looking unsteady at all. Interestingly, her wounds had begun healing as soon as his reiatsu had temporarily joined with hers, strengthening it and also returning her strength. He'd had multiple kido working at the same time, and, overall, it seemed as if the captain wasn't about to drop dead.

'Are you feeling okay?' he decided that he should probably help her out, because the space inside the dome was actually rather large, so she could probably spend a long time going round in circles until she located him, although she could just have tried to sense his reiatsu.

_Actually, I don't think that would work either, as this whole area is filled with my reiatsu, not to mention the ice sphere, _his thoughts were contemplative, _And since there's still kido on her, then that would mean she'd be sensing my reiatsu on herself, which would be rather confusing too._

Yuki listened, and then began trying to speak, in order to say she was alright now, but started coughing instead. She'd recently remembered why she would be in a dome of ice, and she was quite pleased, but still cross about the other captain's reckless actions, to be alive.

'I'd offer you a drink of water if I had one,' watching her doubling over and performing nasty great rasping exhalations, before resuming the coughing, Toshiro couldn't help but feel rather bad. Even if he had managed to get her to heal herself, the fact remained that if she died now, from asphyxiation, most probably, then the whole thing would have been pointless. He felt tired from the effort of releasing so much reiatsu, but still, he didn't regret doing it.

It took the white haired captain a moment to realise that Kanashimi had stopped coughing and was now staring directly at him, although her eyes were still cloudy. After a brief pause of absolute silence, apart from the quiet crackling sound of small particles of ice moving together, she began chuckling. It seemed like a strange thing to do, considering the circumstances, but there she was, a shinigami captain laughing quietly as if she found something incredibly amusing.

Toshiro couldn't help but be concerned, just in case she was about to go mad now, 'Kanashimi-,'

'I need to get out of here,' she began laughing properly, raising one hand to try and touch one of the shifting walls, 'Hitsugaya,'

'Of course,' blinking and wondering just who had suddenly replaced the usual Third Division captain, Toshiro moved to her side and then glanced about for the part of the dome that, when removed, would allow them to get out before the rest collapsed. He liked the snow and cold, most definitely, but he didn't really feel like getting crushed by a whole heap of it. Plus, there were still fights going on outside.

'This way,' locating the spot, the captain turned to walk that way when he was sneak attacked and hugged from behind, 'Wha-,'

'I'm not going to say it to your face because I still think you're insane for even contemplating doing such a dangerous, risky, unsafe, unstable, unpredictable,' she suddenly seemed to realise that she was repeating herself using different words, 'Thing. And besides, fuelling male egos is never good either,' then the captain paused, 'But thank you,'

'You're welcome,' Toshiro's reply was automatic as his mind was still trying to wrap itself around what she'd just said. When the meaning of her words sunk in, mainly the last two, he couldn't work out why he still felt kind of nervous and worried.

'Let's go,' pushing on his shoulders, Yuki propelled the white haired captain in the direction he'd been facing, uncharacteristically confident. Something which had a lot to do with the memories she'd just seen, although she didn't know it.

'Ah,' it was a long sound as if Toshiro had just remembered something, and he stopped just before the desired position, one hand poised as if to release the hold his reiatsu had on the ice, 'One more thing,'

Unfortunately for the Tenth Division captain, as he turned around, the edge of his haori touched the snow and then there was a pause, 'Oh crap,'

Yuki blinked at the unexpected exclamation, said in such a deadpan way, and then she leapt aside as the whole dome collapsed downwards in a shower of powder snow and crushed ice, 'Hitsugaya?'

Peering through the flurry and trying to locate a certain captain, a not so surprisingly hard job considering the colour of his hair, Yuki saw an arm waving around madly from under quite a large mound of snow. Reaching out, she grasped Toshiro's hand and pulled him free, trying not to smile at the dishevelled appearance of the usually tidy shinigami.

'Hey,' Matsumoto suddenly landed a few metres in front of them, one hand pressed to her side where there was a relatively deep gash, and the other clasped tightly to the hilt of her zanpakuto, Heineko's ash was curling around her, 'When are you two going to stop being so sentimental and help out? There's still more of them around you know,' as she spoke, the Lieutenant swung her arm, sending the ash curling around the charging Soul, 'This really isn't the time to be so sweet,'

The woman suddenly noticed that both captains had their gazes fixed on her, eyes flashing dangerously, she gulped as they both drew their zanpakutos and raised them, 'Hey, hey!' she was terrified now, wondering why she couldn't have just remained quiet for once. Rangiku was doubly glad that no one was watching, or else she'd have gotten into even more trouble for saying what she just said.

'Matsumoto,' Toshiro's voice was very, very calm, and his turquoise eyes were bright.

Kanashimi suddenly appeared in front of her, zanpakuto cutting through the Soul as it escaped the Lieutenant's blade, as easily as if it were a leaf. As the ash, and not Heineko's, was swept away in the wind, the Third Division captain turned her head to glance at Rangiku over her shoulder.

'Stay focused Matsumoto,' her eyes glinted, and light appeared to run down the blade of her katana, 'You wouldn't want to get unnecessarily hurt,'

'Eek!' with a cry, the Lieutenant started running away as fast as possible, 'I'm sorry!'

'Don't bother chasing her,' Yuki shook her head, then, turning to look at the body of Kōsetsu, and she stopped, 'No, let's go. If you think Matsumoto's worth something, and if she should be pursued, then that's what we should do,'

Although he was confused, Toshiro nodded and the pair set off after Matsumoto.

* * *

><p>Soifon could sense that there were only eleven of the Forgotten Souls left, no, as she glanced down at Kenpachi, she amended her previous remark, make that ten. Still, none of them were going down easily, and their endurance was remarkable.<p>

'Is your attention wandering to someone else?' Chihime sounded heartbroken, one hand running along the length of her whip, 'It's infidelity,'

Soifon flinched violently and rounded on the woman, 'What the hell's with you?' she was glad Yoruichi wasn't here to see her like this, 'I'm your enemy!'

Not waiting for a reply, as she assumed it was going to be garbage anyway, the Second Division captain sped forwards, beginning a series of rapid kicks and stabs with Suzumebachi.

'You're so cruel,' dark eyes were glittering again as the Soul moved aside easily, dodging every single attack, 'That's not the way to treat anyone. And anyway, you're not going to live much longer,' she flicked her wrist, sending the lash at Soifon who was caught entirely by surprise and gained some ugly red bruises for her inattention.

Still, despite the Soul's confidence, Chihime had seven Homonka on her body and a badly injured shoulder, due to one of the shinigami's kicks.

Silently apologising to her pride, which definitely did not approve of what she was about to do, Soifon lowered her arm, 'Hey you,'

'That's a delicious thing to say,' the Soul didn't actually appear to be listening.

Soifon walked right over to the woman and then stopped, looking up at her face, and said, 'Ugly people like you ought to just drop dead,'

And then she slapped the Soul's face hard.

The captain, being the commander-in-chief of the Onmitsukido, intensely disliked such an obvious move, no matter how unconventional it might have been. She had the strong suspicion that this would give her an easy opening, but she still wished there'd been another way. However, if she wasn't feeling so impatient, then she probably would've waited and found an alternate solution.

'What?' jumped back, Chihime raised a hand to her face and stared at the shinigami in shock, 'How dare you!'

Raising her whip, she was about to send the lash flying in a deadly arc to the captain, when she sensed movement beside her and, turning, she saw Soifon landing lightly in a crouch behind her. A sudden burst of pain between her shoulder blades made the Soul blink and then she realised that the strangely shaped zanpakuto must have hit its mark the second time. With a furious scream, the woman vanished, leaving only an enlarged Homonka in her place.

Dusting off her uniform, Soifon rose and gazed out across the barren, dusty landscape of Ushinawa. She knew that she would keep fighting until all of the Forgotten Souls were just ash drifting away in the wind. She had her orders, her pride, and her strength, and those things would keep her moving until all the worlds ended.

* * *

><p>Author's Note:<p>

Now that Yuki's alright, the battle continues and will keep continuing until the end of the Forgotten Souls . . .


	63. Chapter 29: Sing a Song of Doom

_Chapter 29: Sing-a-Song-of-Doom_

Uryu paused and surveyed Asa carefully, noting the slightly hunched way the man was standing. It was strange, considering that neither one of them had landed a direct hit on the other, but even so . . .

_Oh __I __see,_ the Quincy put his thoughts together and decided that he'd worked it out, _That __Kōsetsu __guy __was __holding __their __souls, __and __enabling __them __to __regenerate, __but __now __they__'__re __on __their __own. __However, __if __my __predictions __are __correct, __they __still __link __their __strength __together __so, _he looked down from the high rock he was perched on, _When __one __dies, __the __others w__eaken __slightly. __How __very __interesting._

'Are you okay?' the blonde man called over from another rock pillar, flicking three daggers around in his hands, ignoring the tingling that the yellow fire caused, 'You look preoccupied,'

'Do I now,' it wasn't a question, and the Quincy continued as he raised his bow, 'Well then, I'd be best not to keep you waiting much longer,'

'Take your time,' the man sent a blade hurtling towards the teenager, 'I'm in no hurry whatsoever,'

Glaring, Uryu moved through the air using Hirenkyaku and then appeared behind Asa, sending a rain of arrows at the man. With a frown, and a narrowing of electric blue eyes, the Soul jumped aside, rushing backwards and then flicking dagger after dagger at the Quincy, who was wondering where the man kept them all.

Deciding to ask, just in case there was some new way of sewing pockets that made them able to contain massive amounts of knives, Uryu said, 'Where do you keep all of those?'

'Huh?' Asa hadn't thought that his opponent was the type to engage in idle conversation, and he'd based that on their prior brief verbal interactions, where the Quincy had generally ignored him, 'What was that?'

Understanding immediately what must be going through the Soul's head, and getting rather annoyed, Uryu glared and elaborated, 'Where do you get your daggers from? I mean, is there a special fold in your jacket or something?'

The man was staring in a completely dumbstruck way, only just managing to keep his mouth from hanging open limply. He couldn't believe what he'd just been asked. After all, looking at the Quincy, you probably wouldn't suspect that he did handicrafts or anything like that. But the vibes the Soul thought he was getting were telling him that Ishida Uryu, they'd been introduced, did sewing and was very interested in the latest fashions.

'Uh,' his response was reminiscent of a Kurosaki Ichigo one, the type that left something to be desired, and he almost dropped two of his knives after forgetting that he was holding them, 'I don't have any special pockets,'

'Really?' suddenly recalling an image of Koru materialising his katana, Uryu nodded as if he'd just been told that it was unlucky to wear a hat on Tuesdays because cats will follow you around all day, and believed it completely, 'So you materialise them,'

Surprised, Asa nodded, 'That's right,' then he blinked, 'Why did you ask in the first place?'

'Just interested,' realising he'd gone off on a tangent and that he was supposed to be killing this man, the Quincy shook his head, 'Back to business, alright,'

'If we must,' sighing deeply, something that made the young man look ancient, and dusting some ash from a light wound, Asa materialised a handful of blades, 'Then let's go, Quincy,'

* * *

><p>Renji, Matsumoto and Hisagi stood in the sky and waited for Kyoraku to finish dragging the still unconscious Ukitake to a new safe spot, before they started fighting Bikuta again. The Soul didn't seem concerned, on the contrary, he looked rather amused, but still, they weren't here to fool around.<p>

'Hey! Concentrate!' Renji was sick of the way the man just watched on as if he was _oh __so __superior_, and didn't participate actively in fights, 'We're here to kill you!'

Bikuta wasn't feeling his best, slightly throbbing places on his chest told him where the killing strike had hit the fallen, but he didn't really care about them. The only thing he'd cared about was gone, still disintegrating down below on the ice covered ground. Although he was physically older than Kōsetsu, Bikuta had considered the man a true leader and would've been willing to do anything for him. The Soul knew that it was like that for every one of them. They had all considered Kōsetsu their ultimate ruler and someone who shouldn't be spoken to without utmost respect.

_And __she __killed __him_, he couldn't believe that part, _Why __didn__'__t __he __stop __her __strike, __I__'__m __certain __he __could__'__ve __at __least __tried, _shaking his head, he turned to glance over at where Kanashimi was sparring with a faceless Soul, _They __seem __to __have __a __history __of __some __sort, __although __I__'__m __not __sure __what __it __is. __Kōsetsu __mentioned __her __a __couple __of __times, __saying __we __weren__'__t __supposed __to __injure __her, __that __she __be __treated __respectfully. __He __wanted __her __to __become __a __Forgotten __Soul __and __stay __here __in __Ushinawa. __I __wonder __why __. __. __._

Materialising his katana to block Renji's strike, Bikuta continued thinking as he fought, _Just __before, __Kōsetsu __was __saying __that __she __was __the __other __leader __of __this __place. __I __don__'__t __know __what __that __means __either. __But __still, _he struck out, sending flames hurtling towards Matsumoto, _When __I __was __supposed __to __report __in __after __one __of __those __missions, __he __was __asleep __and __talking. __He __said __that __last __time __he __didn__'__t __get __to __go __with __her, __Yuki, __or __bring __her __to __Ushinawa, __and __so __he __wanted __to __find __her __again __to __set __things __right._

'You aren't focused, are you?' Renji could feel his enthusiasm slipping away yet again, 'I can't believe I have to fight you,'

'You don't,' Bikuta turned a bit more of his attention to the three shinigami Lieutenants.

'Of course we do,' Matsumoto appeared beside the red head, 'It's one of our duties,'

'And we aren't about to fail,' Hisagi sighed, unreleased katana steady in his hand, 'So you shouldn't be so confident,'

'Kill me then,' spreading his arms wide, the Soul gazed at them impassively, then, when none of them moved, he added, 'Go on. Killing . . . isn't that your precious job?'

'What?' Renji was confused, 'You can't be serious,'

'Reap. Kazeshini,' making a last minute decision, the Ninth Division Lieutenant released his zanpakuto, and then sent one of the blades flying towards Bikuta. Since the Soul didn't move, something that Hisagi hadn't predicted, the blade flew past. However, with a few jerks on the chain that connected both of the two twin bladed kusarigama like weapons, the Lieutenant had wrapped the man in chains.

'Are you seriously not going to try and fight?' Matsumoto didn't believe it either, as she'd personally experienced the brutality the man was capable of.

'Before you kill me,' Bikuta turned his head and gazed at Yuki once again, 'No, don't worry about it,'

'You sure are a strange one,' Renji muttered, but he didn't move to attack.

* * *

><p>Bikuta waited patiently. He knew that if he died, then the other Forgotten Souls would lose focus, as it usually took both him and Koru to keep them doing exactly what they were supposed to, but he found that he didn't care. Somehow, he felt a strong attachment to Kanashimi Yuki, the same type as what he'd felt for Ushinawa Kōsetsu, but slightly different, as if they all needed to love her. It was odd, as if the thought had been put into his head by someone else, and then he recalled something else Kōsetsu had said to him once. Absently, as if he hadn't realised he was speaking.<p>

'_Yuki is a very special person,' his tone was faraway, 'And she deserves the absolute best. The people who were gifted with her were so, so ungrateful. They didn't realise how absolutely lucky they were to have her in their lives. But they killed themselves,' he laughed tonelessly, 'And they left her,' he shook his head, 'But then again, I was always trying to leave as well. I was so determined to get to the Soul Society that I didn't always fully appreciate how much she did for me, always allowing me to stay, taking care of me when I was hurt, putting aside reality just to talk to a little ghost. I'm a selfish person, Bikuta,' he leaned backwards, 'I want her to be back by my side where I can look after her always. I don't want her to be in the Soul Society,' his hands clenched and grey reiatsu sparked around him, 'I hate the Soul Society! It took her from me, right before my eyes,' then he sighed and relaxed, 'We will get our revenge, and I will get her back,' piercing eyes locked with the other Soul's, 'Bikuta, remember this, she must always be loved. She deserves what she never had as a human. So, if someday we have the power to do something about this unfair situation, remember to love her,'_

_And a black light sparked through faintly blue, grey eyes._

'I . . . s-,' Zabimaru slid between Kazeshini's chains, and into the chest of the Forgotten Soul, Bikuta's eyes half closed, but he didn't stop finishing what he'd been saying, 'See,'

'Growl! Heineko!' as the ash of Matsumoto's zanpakuto curled around him, the image of the black kido shooting from Kanashimi's hands moments before she killed his leader appeared behind his eyelids and he nodded slightly, ignoring the blood in his throat.

_That unique power . . ._

As Heineko tore through his skin, the Soul was released from the chain and left standing hunched in the sky. The Lieutenants couldn't work out why he was smiling faintly, the expression never before looking as secretive as it did now.

_. . . was something they both shared . . ._

Two unreleased blades pierced Bikuta's chest and he glanced down slightly, noting the two shinigami crouched on either side of him. One of them had red hair, the other, strawberry blonde. Both seemed slightly hesitant about finishing him off, and then . . .

'Howl, Zabimaru,'

_. . . a symbolisation of a bond deeper than blood . . ._

As his own blood flew from the gaping wound in his chest as both shinigami pulled their blades free, Bikuta fell from the air, bursting into ash before his body even hit the ground.

The last thing dark blue eyes saw was the figure of Kanashimi Yuki standing in the sky.

_. . . so tragic, and . . . beautiful._

* * *

><p>Inside her barrier of kido, Unohana watched as more ash joined the slowly melting snow on the ground. She was still slightly in shock over what the Tenth Division captain had achieved with his reiatsu and kido alone, but then again, in certain circumstances <em>nothing <em>was impossible.

Smiling, the woman turned her gaze to the sky, _Everyone __is __being __so __reserved __and __subtle. __Or, _she almost laughed, _They__'__re __trying __to __be. __I __think __every __single __person __here, _glancing at Kenpachi and his subordinates, and then at Ichigo and Renji, she added, _Or __maybe __just __most __of __them __. __. __. __They __would __have __noticed __that __there __was __something _there _between __Hitsugaya __and __Kanashimi. __Still, __I __doubt __anyone __would __say __anything, __it__'__s, _she shook her head in amusement, _Just __not __in __their __natures._

Turning to Orihime, Unohana spoke aloud, 'I think this battle will soon be over, so now, we must prepare for the task ahead,'

The auburn haired teenager looked up, revealing a few wet patches around her eyes, and nodded, 'Of course,' she touched one of her hairpins, 'I'm ready,'

'Good,' suddenly noticing that the Forgotten Souls had all stopped fighting and were standing in the air unmoving, Unohana frowned, 'They seem to have lost purpose,' she recalled seeing that other Soul, Bikuta, fall, and wondered if his death had something to do with this new development, 'I hope it is a change for the better,'

'Me too,' as Orihime spoke again, Nanao walked over, frowning slightly. The woman adjusted her glasses and was about to speak when another voice sounded. The tone and words together made the three woman freeze and shudder, eyes widening fractionally as a cold and heavy feeling settled over them. Rippling through their veins and clawing at their throats.

'Liars, liars, light their world with darkness. Break the earth, rip the sky, make them pay, for their lie. Liars, liars, tear this world apart. Make sure, not to leave, a single one without a heart,'

Yachiru suddenly appeared before them, sitting at the edge of a waist high pillar of rock. The Lieutenant was smiling widely, her eyes were bright, and she was tilting her head to one side, gazing out over the landscape of Ushinawa. The sing-song chant flowing from her lips was cheerful and, as the last word faded away, there was a rumble and the earth beneath their feet trembled.

* * *

><p>Author's Note:<p>

Speaking of songs, or kind of, anyway . . . if Kanashimi Yuki had a theme song, what do you think it would be?  
>I'd be curious to know . . .<p> 


	64. Chapter 30: A Never Ending Dream

_Chapter 30: A Never Ending Dream_

Ichigo was panting heavily as he removed his Hollow mask. He'd already decided that it wasn't such a good idea to push himself absolutely to the limit. A few seconds ago there's been a tremor like a miniature earthquake, but the epicentre must still have been a way off. It was odd, considering where they were, but it had happened.

'What _was _that?' the orange haired teenager decided that he wasn't above asking his opponent the question.

Koru glanced sideways at him, smiling brightly, and swung his katana about lazily, 'I don't have a clue,' frowning suddenly, the Soul found six different forces pulling at his strength. He knew that Bikuta had been killed, and he was slightly sad and a teeny bit annoyed. After all, his working partner had always been the one to keep the others, mainly the faceless, under control. Then Koru himself got to order them around with Bikuta, and they had great fun. Now he was supposed to do the ordering, and the controlling.

'Stop standing there like morons! Fight them!' he knew that it'd take a lot more effort now to keep the remaining half dozen Souls doing what they were supposed to, but he wasn't going to give up, 'And stop trying to use _my _strength!'

Ichigo blinked as all of the apparently absent minded Souls began fighting again, if a little wildly and more by instinct rather than planned precision. Koru's words were also odd, 'stop trying to use my strength', but it took Ichigo just a moment more to figure out that the Souls must be sharing out their power.

'That's so stupid,' he spoke without thinking, gazing in vexation at Koru as the man turned back to him, the fire along his katana flaring angrily, 'What type of a strategy is that?'

Rukia suddenly appeared beside him, a scowl on her face, '_You_, of all people, can't talk about strategy! I mean, when you came to the Soul Society to rescue me, you _shot __a __cannonball __through __the __Seireitei__'__s __protective __forcefield __and __created __a __massive __explosion_,' her tone was absolutely withering, 'And then when we went to rescue Orihime from Hueco Mundo, you once again marched in without any _pretence _of subtlety,' turning to glare at Koru, who took a step backwards in shock at the ferocity of her gaze, she continued yelling, almost insane with her exasperation, 'And _you_! Just because it took this idiot,' she jabbed a finger into Ichigo's ribs, 'A millennium to work out the way you lot share your strength, doesn't mean everyone else is like that! I mean, you're just a complete jerk who thinks he's the greatest thing in the world! I've had enough of _all _of you! I'm this close', she raised her finers and squished them together, indicating how _very _close she was to doing what ever she was about to say she was about to do, 'To just walking out of here and leaving you lot of complete morons to sort yourselves out!' she paused, taking a few deep breathes, 'Mind you, I do not include any of my superiors, or Orihime, Chad, and Uryu, in that statement,' suddenly she twitched, 'Except Renji!' rounding on the man who had just been kicked in their direction, she was about to start verbally abusing him as well, when something sharp and dangerous shot through her middle, just below where her heart would be, 'Urgh,'

'Good job,' Koru retracted the weapon, reforming it into a katana, and nodded at the faceless Soul beside him, 'You got her with some of _that_ did you?'

'She was my opponent,' the wooden tone made it hard for Ichigo and Renji to understand what had just been said, 'And yes, I used some of my reiatsu on her. The result, as you can see, was a complete separation from her surroundings, and a lack of awareness to potential attackers. An interesting result, compared to what you said happened to them,' he pointed to the two shinigami.

'What. The. _Hell_,' Ichigo stared at Rukia as she lay in the sky, eyes wide and vacant, 'You bastards!' pulling on his Hollow mask without a second's hesitation, the orange haired substitute shinigami leapt forwards, cleaving the faceless Soul in half with a single swing of Tensa Zangetsu, 'I'll kill you!'

'Really?' ignoring the discomfort the Soul's death caused him, Koru raised his blade and began sparring rapidly with the greatly enhanced Kurosaki, 'We'll see,'

* * *

><p>Uryu knew that he was going to have to finish up his fight pretty quickly. He could already see Kenpachi and his subordinates sprawled out on the ground as if waiting for someone to try and sneak attack them while they were 'sleeping'. There were hardly any of the Forgotten Soul left, apart from Koru and Asa, but that was going to change soon enough. The Quincy really wanted to know what his opponent's weapons were made of, because if they were reishi, then there were . . . <em>things <em>he could do.

'I have a question,' coming to a stop on one of the outer branches of a rocky looking tree, Uryu pushed up his glasses and tried not to glare at the Soul, lazily throwing daggers up into the air and catching them again. It seemed like a pretty dangerous hobby.

'Is it about a fold in my _pants _this time?' the man was clearly amused, iridescent blue eyes mocking and the smirk on his face perfect.

'Shut your mouth,' gritting his teeth slightly, the teenager tried to sound casual, 'What are your daggers made of?'

'Oh,' straightening and peering at one of them, Asa sighed, 'Reishi, what else?'

'I see,' letting his bow vanish, the Quincy slid his arm behind his back, finger curling around one of his silver rods.

'Why do you ask?' as the man spoke, Uryu vanished from where he'd been standing, and appeared behind him, swinging up with his Seele Schneider, 'Whoops,'

Spinning around, Asa used a strange block of interlocked blades to prevent the strike from hitting him, jumping backwards as he did so, 'I thought you said before that you only used a bow and arrows?'

Uryu didn't reply, he just kept slicing and jabbing forwards with his 'blade', hiding his smirk every time his opponent blocked with his daggers. Finally satisfied that he'd done enough, he used Hirenkayku to retreat some distance away.

'Running?' Asa was confused, but he did his utmost best not to show it.

'Not at all,' once again materialising his glowing bow, the Quincy raised his arm, spinning Seele Schneider to that it fit into place at the centre of the weapon, aiming for the Soul's chest.

Asa frowned, sensing the change in his weapons, and his eyes widened. Then he began laughing slightly, the sound rather breathless, as he felt another one of his comrades die, 'This is priceless,' as the arrow pierced his body, his last chuckles died in his throat, 'We're all doomed, but we won't go down without taking you all with us,' as Uryu appeared before him, he met the Quincy's gaze, 'Remember that Ishida Uryu,'

As the man's eyes closed, the teenager bent down and picked up the tube on the ground, sliding it back into his belt, 'You might be surprised,' he smiled slightly, 'I don't think anyone here, will give up as easily as you think,'

* * *

><p>Toshiro glanced about, standing in the sky and wondering where all of the Souls had gone. It took his tired mind a moment to realise that there wasn't any more.<p>

_Have __we __really __won? __Is __it __all __over __now?_ glancing across at Kanashimi, he noted her still drawn expression, _She __knows __something __more, __doesn__'__t __she?_

Speaking aloud, he addressed the other captain, 'It looks like Kurosaki is the only one who isn't finished yet,' he turned his gaze to the ground, 'And it also appears as if Unohana has begun fixing everyone up down there. Inoue too,'

'You're right,' shaking her head slightly to clear the still concerned thoughts there, Yuki suddenly noticed the limp form of Rukia being supported by Renji, who appeared to have caught her just before she plummeted from the air, 'Oh,'

Not waiting to tell Hitsugaya where she was going, she used a single shunpo to appear beside the Sixth Division Lieutenant, 'Abarai, if you would,'

'Of course,' handing over his friend's body, Renji stared at Rukia's face worriedly. Her eyes were still open, but they were vacant, and her whole form was limp. He didn't like to acknowledge it, but when he'd sheathed Sode no Shirayuki, as Rukia had been unable to do so herself and she'd looked in danger of dropping the katana, the zanpakuto had been in its sealed form. Never a good sign when you desperately wanted someone to be okay.

'Will she be alright?' he couldn't help but ask, 'Please tell me the truth!'

Yuki's violet gaze flicked from the Lieutenant before her to the orange haired human fighting viciously quite a way away, 'I think she'll be alright,'

'Thank you,' Renji followed the Third Division captain as she descended from the sky and laid Rukia down on a flat piece of ground.

Looking at Abarai, Kanashimi decided a small, but very critical, thing, 'Please leave, just for a while. I will call you back when she is okay,'

'Yes sir,' despite the overpowering urge to yell at the captain and demand that he be allowed to stay, Renji stood up, sheathed his zanpakuto, and walked over to sit near Ukitake, who was just coming back from the world of unconsciousness, and Kyoraku, who was trying to spot where his Lieutenant had run off to while chasing Yachiru. Further over, Matsumoto and Hisagi were arguing over . . . something, and then, an even greater distance from the Third Division captain, Kenpachi Zaraki was looking about, just in case there were some enemies that they'd missed.

'Captain Kuchiki,' Yuki used a formal title, understanding some of the ways that the Sixth Division's captain functioned, 'If you wouldn't mind,'

Byakuya, of course, had already sensed the instant Rukia had been injured, and her health was the thing at the front of his mind, but still, he wasn't ever the emotional sort of person. Still, when the woman kneeling beside his sister called out, after having sent his Lieutenant away moments before, he couldn't help but approach the pair, slate grey eyes watching as black kido pulsed around the ugly wound on Rukia's chest.

'She has an incredible will to survive,' Yuki's voice was pensive, and she didn't take her eyes off her work, fingers gracefully directing the unique kido that she used, to different parts of the wound, 'But I'm sure you know that,'

Somehow Byakuya felt that he didn't need to hide any of his thoughts from this woman. It was an odd, and deeply unusual feeling, but he found he was glad to tell someone what he really thought of his sister. He'd told an enemy once, but that had been a few seconds before he'd killed him, so the captain thought it would be nice to have someone who'd know what he thought, but didn't have to die.

'Of course,' sitting down on a nearby rock, the man spoke in a tone that was considerably less cold and distant to usual, but still retained immense pride.

'I'm glad,' Yuki found that she wasn't at all afraid to say it, although she hardly knew Kuchiki Rukia, and she certainly didn't know the shinigami's older brother.

As a tranquil silence descended around the two captains, Rukia stirred suddenly and her eyes focused, blinking in surprise as she found herself lying on the ground, before her Nee-sama, and also Captain Kanashimi.

'Oh my,' she sounded a little bit unsteady, and Byakuya found himself immensely glad that she was lying down, not standing up, 'Who'd have thought-,' breaking off, the shinigami sighed deeply, smiling tentatively. Then she remembered Ichigo and the last expression she'd seen on his face before everything had gone strange for her. As she struggled to rise, unable to believe that her body was yet to repair itself enough to respond to her commands, her reiatsu dropped dangerously low.

'What happened?' Byakuya's tone was worried, although his pride was muttering that it was glad no one was around to see him get so emotional, 'Rukia,'

'She drained her own reiatsu,' Yuki frowned slightly and increased the amount of kido she was placing over Rukia's body, 'She wasn't ready to move yet,' turning her gaze to the sky, and feeling a drop of blood hit her cheek, blown along by the sudden wind, the captain stared as Ichigo fell to his knees, 'But the reason she tried . . . was because she understands that if you believe someone is that important to you, then you should chase them to the ends of the world, just to make sure they're safe,'

Looking at the other captain, Byakuya couldn't help but think that she was speaking from experience, and somehow that made her words all the more real.

* * *

><p>Ichigo could feel blood pouring from the wound on his side, and he briefly wondered how it always seemed like he could bleed bucket loads without dying, but his attention was mainly taken up by the lazily smiling figure of Koru. He was about to rise and begin another round of attacks, when he sensed Rukia's reiatsu plummet. Unable to turn to see if she was alright or not, just in case his opponent took advantage of the distraction, Ichigo gritted his teeth and rose to his feet unsteadily. He'd already removed his Hollow mask, knowing that it was about to break anyway, and wanting to keep some dignity with him, but now he was unsure of what to do.<p>

_Save __Rukia,_the only way to do that was to kill this man, but he didn't know how, _Protect, __always __protect._

Shutting one eye as blood was about to run into it, the substitute shinigami frowned ferociously, 'Getsuga Tensho!'

The arc of red rimmed black was met with Koru's katana, and it disintegrated almost immediately.

'How can you still be so strong if all of the other Forgotten Souls are dead?' he saw no shame in asking.

'Because they're no longer taking my strength from me, and I'm just very strong,' it was half true, and Koru knew it. After all, his body felt like he'd been hit and run over by about a million buses in quick succession, but he wasn't going to let Kurosaki know that.

'Bankai, Senbonzakura Kageyoshi,' a stoic voice sounded seconds before a ring made of four rows of blades encircled them, stopping Koru's lazy retreat, 'Senkei,'

'Byakuya!' as usual, Ichigo discarded all formality, and turned to face the captain with an astonished look, 'What are you doing?'

'Finish him,' there was an underlying note of fury in the man's voice, and Ichigo could only assume that it was because his precious sister had been hurt. The teenager dearly wanted to walk over and shake the captain. To demand to know whether or not Rukia was okay.

But he didn't, although the effort left _him_ shaking slightly.

'Fine,' pulling at every single part of his remaining strength, Ichigo donned his Hollow mask one last time, 'This is the end, Koru,'

'I'd love to say something cool like _no, __it__'__s __just __the __beginning_,' the Soul sighed, although his tone was still arrogant, knowing that he was too far gone to seriously consider trying anything fancy, 'But you're quite right,' there was an odd look in his eyes when he added, 'This has been interesting, Kurosaki Ichigo. I wonder how,' he paused, before smiling, 'Everyone will continue on with their lives,'

Not waiting to consider the Soul's odd words, Ichigo ran forwards, swinging Tensa Zangetsu, the blade flaming powerfully with black and red reiatsu. He met Koru's katana, and sliced straight through it, cutting a brutal wound across the man's body, which burst into ash even as Ichigo's momentum carried him onwards.

As Senkei vanished and Ichigo lurched forwards, mask shattering, Rukia appeared before him, one hand stabilising him, and the other lighting up with kido. The pair descended quickly and stopped before Orihime, who was rejecting Ikkaku's wounds, and Unohana, who had just finished healing Soifoin.

Byakuya used shunpo to return to his previous seat, and he almost sighed as he resumed the spot, using a quick kido to restore his bleeding hand.

* * *

><p>Toshiro approached Kanashimi as everyone got ready to leave, feeling the earth shaking slightly beneath his waraji. It wasn't a good sign, in his opinion, because earthquakes never turned out to be pleasant. Looking at Yuki, he realised that she hadn't sensed him yet, which was more than unusual, and that her expression was pained and her whole body tense. Remembering hearing the others talking about how the Forgotten Souls had been pooling their strength, he couldn't help but wonder if the Third Division captain had somehow been included in that process.<p>

'Are you alright?' he was really beginning to hate that question, and the realisation came along with a burst of melancholy calm.

Yuki flinched slightly at the sound, and tried to focus her dazed mind. It wasn't much good trying to pretend. Most of the people here were intelligent, so they wouldn't have too much trouble working out what was happening to her. She hadn't really realised how her connection to the Souls hadn't been severed at all, instead it seemed to have been strengthened after she'd briefly transformed.

The shinigami knew that there was an immense force draining her reiatsu, somehow pulling it directly from inside her seal, and absorbing it. That force was Ushinawa, and she once again noted that the dimension was struggling to hold itself together.

The earthquake before showed that, even though the world had been created by _her _death, and it was now using _her _power, the battle to remain intact was slowly being lost. It was interesting though, that it _was _taking reiatsu from her, just like it had taken from Kōsetsu, seemingly so long ago.

_You__'__re __trying __to __take __me __with __you __this __time_, remembering how it had been Kōsetsu's reiatsu which had helped shape this place, a small smile touched her lips, _Ushinawa, _her eyes closed briefly as another tremor swept beneath her feet, _This __place __is __named __after __you, __isn__'__t __it?_

Many people would've thought her odd, seeing as she was talking to her dead friend, but there was nothing unusual about the circumstances to her. She knew that lying now would be the worst thing to do.

But telling the truth would be agony.

'Oh don't worry about me,' she smiled at Toshiro, noting his concerned expression, 'I'm perfectly fine,'

'Everyone!' Kyoraku's voice carried easily to each member of the group, 'We're going to head back now!'

'Alright! This was getting tiresome,' Kenpachi got to his feet as if the movement was incredibly taxing, and the massive captain stretched, bones cracking, 'Yachiru!'

'Ken-chan,' appearing on his shoulder with a movement that no one could trace, the pink haired Lieutenant smiled cheerfully, 'It's about time! We don't want to get stuck here! The dream is ending! It's getting ripped up and jumped on!'

'What do you mean?' although she wasn't usually one to mess about, Soifon had the odd suspicion that, for once, the girl might actually know something important, 'Stuck here?'

The captain also felt that the 'dream' Yachiru spoke of, was, in reality, just the odd unrealistic sensation they all felt in the dimension of Ushinawa. After all, they certainly weren't about to wake up and find that they'd been sleeping the whole time. That would've been cliché and pathetic. Sighing slightly, the shinigami returned her attention to a small, pink haired Lieutenant.

'This place is crumbling! Like,' Yachiru tilted her head to one side, considering deeply, 'Biscuits! So we gotta go go go!'

'Does she make any sense to you?' the withering look on Ikkaku's face was rather strong, 'So you talk nonsense just as well as you get people lost with your crappy sense of direction, eh?'

'What was that?' still grinning, although her reiatsu was flaring rather dangerously, the Lieutenant jumped down and latched onto a certain bald head, 'Dom't twy to wesist,'

Although her words were rather muffled, everyone got her meaning pretty well.

'Kusajishi,' Yuki spoke suddenly, directing the word at the Lieutenant, then the captain looked away, speaking distantly, 'She has the ability to tune her mind to the rhythm of this world, she knows what's going to happen here,'

'That chant!' Nanao and Orihime spoke at the same time, the Lieutenant continuing when the teenager fell silent, 'It sounded like she was predicting some great destruction,'

'That's right,' the Third Division captain nodded, feeling her reiatsu pulse, 'Ushinawa is dying. This dimension is destroying itself, even as it tries to survive,'

'Then we should leave now,' Unohana turned away from treating some of Nanao's bruises, ones which the Lieutenant was very embarrassed about, especially since she hadn't been involved in the battle at all, and the captain smiled kindly, 'I'm sure the Head Captain would like us all back as soon as possible. And you lot,' she looked at Ichigo and his friends, 'You all have lives to go back to as well,'

'Right,' nodding, the orange haired substitute shinigami turned and began to walk towards where the gateway was clearly visible, standing out against the yellow rock, 'Come on everyone,'

A sudden burst of reiatsu made the whole group freeze mid-step, and they all half turned, eyes wide, hands clasping the hilts of their zanpakuto. Or, alternatively, forming weapons . . . or just staring . . . or chewing on someone's head.

'Wait a minute,' the voice was devastatingly familiar and Ichigo felt his blood run cold, 'You didn't think we were done, did you?'

* * *

><p><em>Just for a while,<em>

_While the sun still shines,_

_Let us continue,_

_This never-ending dream._

_-0-_

_Just for a while,_

_Till darkness falls,_

_Play with us,_

_In this never-ending dream._

_-0-_

_You will stay,_

_To keep us company,_

_Forever and ever,_

_Until the end of time._

_-0-_

_Won't you Yuki?_

* * *

><p>Author's Note:<p>

So it wasn't the end . . . or was it? Confusing . . . and _another _poem too, although this one wasn't for Toshiro. Also, Yachiru seems to have a special talent! Still, it seems like she won't get to use it much any more since Ushinawa's collapsing . . .


	65. Chapter 31: Crossroads

_Chapter 31: Crossroads_

Everyone stared in shock as Koru and one of the faceless Souls rose to their feet again, covered in blood and shaking slightly, but alive. There was no way . . . and yet there they were, materialising their weapons and smirking.

'How are you alive?' Ichigo's question was directed at Koru only, 'You just died! Burst into _ash_! There's _no way _you can still be alive!'

'Well I am,' Koru's tone was nonchalant, 'And there's one last thing I have to do. The final orders I was given, to carry out if a situation like this, where all hope for us was lost, and you were all here . . . if a situation like this occurred,' he repeated himself absently, 'I won't fail this last duty,'

Toshiro, standing just a few paces in front of Yuki, sensed movement beside him and he turned, watching in horror as the barbed spear pierced the captain's middle, the weapon sliding over the blade of her zanpakuto. Yuki fell to her knees, faint surprise mixed with pain showing on her pale face as the spear was retracted. She hadn't even really tried, but it wasn't because she was submitting to death . . . she just no longer had the strength to raise her blade to defend herself. The stable energy she'd held . . . had been stolen.

The gazes of the whole group fell on the white haired captain of the Tenth Division as he knelt before Kanashimi, then flicked upwards to watch the two Forgotten Souls lounging back on their heels, smiling.

There was a sudden cracking sound and the ground shook, sending up plumes of dust, slowly widening lines shooting out across the surface. The sky darkened to twilight and wild clouds spun rapidly across the dusky orange. It all created a terribly dramatic scene. One which at least half of the average humans would look at and go 'oh look, that's what the world would look like a while before it ends', and that was kind of true, considering what they all now knew was happening.

Still, only Yuki could sense the full extent of what was occurring, and she raised her lavender gaze to Toshiro's.

When she spoke, her voice was laden with pain and regret, 'Hitsugaya,' turquoise eyes widened, 'This dimension is collapsing, as I said before. It's because the powers of the Forgotten Souls aren't there to keep it stable anymore. You have to get out of here of you'll be destroyed along with it. There isn't much time, I don't think,'

'What about you?' not wanting to hear the answer, the captain spoke hesitantly, guessing what she was about to say.

'I can still hold them back until you all get to safety, this dimension feeds on my power,' hand touching the wound in her chest, her lips curved weakly, 'It's the least I can do,'

'Aren't you afraid of dying?' Toshiro didn't want to believe her, but his rational mind was saying that she was right.

'Of course,' smiling fully, the expression filled with sadness, Yuki reached out and touched his cheek with one blood stained hand, before the effort of moving made her arm go limp and fall, 'But not so much anymore, remember that,'

Toshiro gazed into lavender eyes intensely, speaking seriously, 'I should sta-,'

'No!' the sharp exclamation was clearly heard by everyone, then the captain continued on quieter, 'Captain Hitsugaya, you _will _leave this dimension and return to your position in the Seireitei. As a leader of one of the Gotei 13, you have responsibilities, _duties_. Do not attempt to prevent the inevitable here, but go back to a stable world and halt the growth of chaos there. That is your duty, do not fail it,' her eyes were flashing and, just for a moment, they lost their cloudy look, 'People who fall behind the flow of time, or get pulled beneath its surface, do not deserve to take others with them,' she sighed suddenly, relaxing slightly, 'So don't linger where there is no hope, pride, or power. Go forth to a new day, one where the sun shines and the moon glows, and where there is appreciation for everything you do. Always,' a slight smile touched her lips, 'We've found ourselves at a crossroad, Hitsugaya,'

The Tenth Division captain listened, and he knew that, once again, she was completely right. Still, the indecision he was experiencing hadn't been eased at all, 'Are you sur-,'

'Look,' her tone was withering and exasperated now, 'If I have to send you packing with some fancy kido _and _try to deal with those two,' she gestured randomly behind her, 'Then there really is _no _hope,' violet lost focus slightly and it was obvious how hard she was trying to keep her thoughts and strength collected, 'So go and I'm serious when I say _don__'__t __come __back_,' then she blinked, eyes falling on Ichigo, who was standing at the front of the group, closest to them, and, rather abruptly, she asked, 'Who _is_ that? He's not . . . not an enemy, though?'

Toshiro couldn't believe what he was hearing and he wondered if Ushinawa was somehow eating up her memory too. It was a terrible thought, considering how important memories had always been in her life, and the overwhelming anger and sorrow that swirled through his body made him feel like a five year old who was throwing a tantrum.

Realising that they needed to leave as quickly as possible before it really _was _too late, Toshiro gazed hard into Yuki's eyes and, although it was selfish, he said, 'I'll go, but you've got to promise me something,' violet eyes focused ever so slightly, 'Promise me you won't die. _Promise _me that,'

Yuki felt the liquid in her lungs, the agony in her chest, the reiatsu being wrenched away from her, remembered almost dying such a short time ago, remembered being saved, her hand, by her side, clenched, 'I promise,'

Fighting back the urge to cry or scream, Toshiro leant forwards and kissed her, tasting the copper of her blood.

So bittersweet.

A crossroad, she said . . . well she couldn't have been more right. They were places to say goodbye, to walk away without looking back. How could he do that? In the name of duty, he _would _do that.

* * *

><p>Watching the exchange, the captains, lieutenants, seated and unseated officers, humans, Quincy and substitute shinigami, couldn't help but avert their gazes at the poignance of the moment. They were all affected deeply by the Third Division captain's agony, and her words, ones which seemed like they could only come from someone old and wise.<p>

'We should go,' Ichigo said finally, realising that the captain's impending death would be in vain if they were all trapped in the collapsing dimension.

Looking forwards at her captain once again, Matsumoto called out, 'Captain, let's go!'

Toshiro stood, supporting Yuki, then stepped away from her. The violet eyed captain turned to face the two remaining Forgotten Souls and raised her zanpakuto with slightly shaking hands.

Toshiro began to walk away, but just before he used shunpo, Yuki spoke once again.

'Goodbye, Toshiro,' she swallowed thick blood and, when she continued, only the white haired shinigami heard her words, 'Don't forget,'

Turquoise eyes closing, the captain of the Tenth Division used his flash step to appear beside his Lieutenant, 'Come on Matsumoto, let's go,'

As the whole group raced off and jumped through the portal and into the World of the Living, landing on snow covered grass, Toshiro turned once more, trying to see if he could glimpse the lone figure of Kanashimi Yuki again.

But the gate closed and vanished before him, sealing away the breaking landscape of Ushinawa forever.

* * *

><p>'Why didn't you try to stop them?' Yuki put everything she had in keeping her mind focused and her body steady, although her hands kept quivering, 'Why did you let them all go?'<p>

Koru sighed and rubbed his face, 'Because my orders only concern _you_,'

The shinigami captain knew that the three of them, herself, Koru, and the faceless Soul, were all sharing their strength to a certain degree. She was holding back as much as she could, but it was a fact that it had been her reiatsu which brought these two back from ashes. They'd known, as had she, that this could happen if they placed their minds at the same wavelength that Ushinawa functioned on, therefore gaining the ability to steal her reiatsu.

'And?' she felt sure that there was one thing the man hadn't yet said, something arrogant and mocking, no doubt, but she wanted to hear it anyway.

'And this is the end for you,' Koru smiled charmingly, materialising his katana, 'The gateway had been sealed, this dimension is collapsing, and even if we fail to kill you, you'll be destroyed along with everything else that's here. This is our end, and yours too,' he laughed, 'This is the end,'

'You said before that you wished you could say something _cool_,' her tone was slightly dismissive, 'Like _no, __it__'__s __just __the __beginning_,' she paused, meeting his gaze, 'And although that's rather overused in a variety of situations, it would be so far from the truth here,' she pointed her zanpakuto at him, 'You think this is my end?' a short laugh, 'It really _is _just my beginning,'

'You see death in an odd way,' there was a confused note in his usually confident tone, 'I'm not sure I understand,'

'Why would you?' Yuki's eyes closed and she silently braced herself for what was to come, 'Your orders are to kill me,' her hand tightened on the hilt of her katana, 'Then try and take my life!'

_You __cannot __ever __understand __which __is __set __to __occur. __The __bonds __which __once __formed, __can __never __be __broken. __The __memories, __which __can __never __be __stolen. __Time __never, __ever __stops, __remember __that._ Yuki's thoughts calmed, even as more of her blood fell from her wounds, staining her shihakusho, running down her own blade, _Remember._

As the sky suddenly went dark, the shinigami captain smiled coldly, but her tone was nostalgic, 'The sun has stopped shining, the dream is ending. Darkness has fallen, the game is over. Time continues, and I will _not_ remain here,'

'Why you-,' not stopping to think, both Souls leapt forwards to engage the captain in battle one last time.

* * *

><p>Author's Note:<p>

Please don't be harsh on me because she stayed . . . it's not the end yet, okay?

And Yuki's little speech at the end of this chapter, just refers to the poem which finished the chapter before this one . . . an interesting note, but not something really vital.


	66. Chapter 32: The End of Ushinawa

_Chapter 32: The End of Ushinawa_

Yuki shuddered violently as she walked forwards, slashed at constantly by both Forgotten Souls.

Her mind was hardly there any more, even as she cut the first of the remaining enemies down. Faceless.

The blade of the zanpakuto in her hands was quivering, as if it were about to break into pieces, and she glanced down, _Come, __on. __Stay __with __me __for __just __a __little __bit __longer, __we__'__re __nearly __done. __It__'__s __nearly __over._

It seemed that she was always asking things to stay with her, the barriers over her memories, and now her katana. Still she hadn't asked _him _to stay.

As her blade lodged deep in her final opponent's chest, and Koru burst into ash, cursing her with glassy eyes, Yuki collapsed to her knees.

_I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry._

The words repeated in her mind as she lurched forwards again, falling to the ground. Around her, the dimension began to crack and shatter apart. And, just a half metre in front of her, Kōsetsu was still slowly turning to ash.

_I'm not strong enough._

_No, __I _wasn't _strong __enough._

_I'm sorry everyone._

_I'm sorry Kira._

Dull lavender eyes closed and blood ran down from a cut on her cheek, the colour harsh against her white skin.

_I'm sorry Toshiro._

_Please . . . if you're the only one who remembers me, I'll be glad._

As cracks flew along the blade of her zanpakuto and it shattered with a sound like the cry of a dying bird, Kanashimi Yuki's tense form relaxed.

There was only one thing to do now.

Pale fingers released the hilt of the katana.

A long ragged breath slipped from a torn chest, a sound reminiscent of her brother's.

And a pool of crimson spread out around her, staining the shaking ground.

_It's over now. Kōsetsu . . . your dream has finally ended._

_I'm glad . . . although I'm not sure how hard it will be . . . this future of mine . . . how will I wait . . . how will I keep waiting . . . when will this dimension completely lose its form? Time never stops . . . never, ever stops. And, once again, I'm sorry . . . the time, the time . . . please remember . . . wait-_

A temendous cracking sound reverbrated through the air as the end of Ushinawa arrived in the present, and sent the world into complete blackness while fissures cut the ground and the tips of the few remaining pillars of rock snagged the sky and tore it open.

* * *

><p>Author's Note:<p>

Once again, I'm sorry about everything in this chapter which may be infuriating or just plain sad . . . apart from the fact that it was short.  
>Also, I personally thought it was pretty sad that, even considering the circumstances, Yuki's thoughts were cut off so rudely like that . . . still, maybe that's just me.<p> 


	67. Chapter 33: Returning Home

_Chapter 33: Returning Home_

Standing on a layer of white, listening to the sound of running water, everyone was unsure of what to do next. Still, they were glad to be back where things didn't constantly make you think you were dreaming, even if someone died.

'Captain,' Matsumoto touched his shoulder. She couldn't continue because she had no clue what to words to give – saying 'I'm sorry' would just be cruel.

'We must depart now for the Soul Society,' even Soifon sounded slightly lost, as if a part of her life had been stolen.

Yuki had become part of everyone, subtly sliding into their lives, from the other captains, to Ichigo and his friends. Her quiet, serious manner and her skill as a shinigami had caused them all to be pleasantly surprised.

Still, the only person to know her, truly _know _her, was Hitsugaya Toshiro. He understood the cool captain far better than anyone else could hope to, and he was the only person she could be absolutely herself around. And she was the only person he could be with to smile and laugh without reservation.

Two halves of one whole.

And now that bond was . . . where?

'So it's over,' Orihime sounded shaky, and she was clasping her hands together tightly, 'Really and truly,'

'That's right,' Rukia glanced at her human friends before walking towards the Senkaimon, stopping beside Ichigo, 'This fight is over. The past is the past, and the future is a mystery, so now we must focus on the present,'

Ukitake was immensely proud of his subordinate as he listened to her words, 'We shouldn't linger. Leaving the Soul Society with only three of its captains for too long is unwise,'

'Nanao,' Shunsui teased his Lieutenant lightly, concerned about her miserable expression, 'Don't start crying, you'll have me bawling my eyes out,'

'I wasn't!' reddening ever so slightly, the Lieutenant snapped at her captain, wishing she had one of her heavy books to hit him with, 'Leave me alone!'

'Now, now!' Jushiro cooed at her, 'Stay calm! We wouldn't want you getting lost,'

'What's getting angry got to do with getting lost?' Renji asked suddenly, ignoring his captain's cold glare, 'You guys don't make any sense!'

As the whole group started bickering, Ichigo, Uryu and even Orihime joining in occasionally, Izuru walked over to Hitsugaya.

'I can't say I understand completely,' the melancholy man sounded serious and surprisingly calm, 'But I'll miss her too,'

Despite losing his captain, Izuru respected what she'd done, and unlike with Ichimaru, he _was _going to remember her in a fond light. She'd made him laugh and inspired confidence in him that he didn't know he had, and she'd been a strong leader, whenever she'd got the chance to show them her skills.

'You'd probably understand better than anyone,' Toshiro looked up at the blonde man and gave a half smile, greatly surprising Izuru, 'Thank you Kira,'

'I-it's nothing,' the Lieutenant was suddenly self-conscious again, wondering how he'd had enough courage to approach Hitsugaya in the first place.

Turning away from Kira, Toshiro walked up to the Senkaimon, waiting as Zaraki and his Third and Fifth Seats entered after getting tired of the conversation.

'Are you going to stand here arguing all night?' Toshiro used his lecturing tone despite the fact that there were other, much older, captains also present, and sighed, 'Well I'm going back,'

'Wait!' Matsumoto wailed as she leapt up to her captain, almost hitting him as he stepped through the Senkaimon, 'Captain!'

'Until next time, Ichigo,' Rukia grinned at the orange haired shinigami, 'Don't get into too much trouble before I come back again,'

'Whatever,' despite the nonchalant tone he used, Ichigo was smiling and Rukia knew it.

Orihime ran over and wrapped the petite shinigami up in a hug, 'Come back soon! I'll miss you,'

'Rukia,' Chad just nodded but the shinigami understood exactly what he meant.

'Goodbye Kuchiki,' Uryu pushed up his glasses, 'Don't forget about us,'

As she turned to walk into the gate, following her brother, she smiled, 'Of course I won't forget. How could I?' then she paused, 'Still, since there's a certain massive moron with you, maybe I'd _rather _forget about all of you,'

'Later Ichigo!' Renji, despite his close proximity to the orange haired teenager, was shouting, accidentally cutting off Ichigo's retort, 'Don't die til I see you next!'

'Get out of here!' Ichigo hollered back, shoving the red haired Lieutenant towards the Senkaimon, 'I don't _want _you to come back!'

'Kurosaki,' the other shinigami began to leave the World of the Living, 'We'll see you some other time,'

As the gate closed, Ichigo and his three friends were left standing on the snow covered grass as the sun rose over the horizon and a light breeze brought a flurry of snowflakes drifting past them.

* * *

><p>There was a pause, in which the only sound was the water and the wind, and then Ichigo blinked, 'Did anyone realise that something was going on between Toshiro and Yuki?'<p>

There was another pause, and then a certain orange haired teenager found three people giving him three of the most disbelieving and withering looks he'd ever received. Even Inoue was staring at him in something akin to accusation. Actually, even _Chad_ was giving him a reprimanding and reproachful look. And the stares weren't just because their friend had just so easily brought up someone who'd just been lost to them.

'I can't believe y-,' Uryu was about to begin a rather condescending speech, when all four of them sensed two figure approaching from the direction of the centre of Karakura Town, and they turned.

'My, my, it's good to see you all back safely,' Urahara appeared, walking a few paces in front of Yoruichi, waving his fan at them cheerfully. However, as he came to a stop a few metres from them, his whole demeanour changed and his eyes, as usual shadowed by his hat, darkened, 'She didn't come back, did she,'

It really wasn't a question, but they all shook their heads sadly anyway, 'No,'

'I see,' the shopkeeper exchanged a glance with the purple haired woman, one which appeared to be full of meaning. In the eyes of a certain Kurosaki Ichigo, that meaning was a very suspicious one.

'You knew she wasn't going to come back?' he was almost shouting, his shock and anger was so great, 'What the hell is wrong with you? Why did you let her go then?'

'Kurosaki,' there was something in Urahara's tone that made Ichigo fall silent, and the man continued after a moment, 'I _could _have kept her here in Karakura Town, I even had a way of doing so, ask Yoruichi,' he pointed at the woman, 'However, in the end I decided to let her go,' he held up a hand when Ichigo moved to protest, 'Because I realised that keeping her away from the fight, would destroy her pride,' his hand tightened on his cane, 'And shatter her mind. To Kanashimi Yuki, a captain of the Gotei 13, being kept back from a battle which would potentially save many lives . . . it would not only be a direct insult, but also something that would most likely have caused her immense long-term pain,' Urahara looked away from the group, 'Letting her go, and knowing the consequences of that action, knowing what might happen to her, it wasn't an easy decision. However, forcing her into unconsciousness and sealing her under a newly invented kido, that wasn't really the best, or safest, alternative, but it was the _only _alternative,'

'Oh,' the substitute shinigami felt himself droop as the strong emotions he'd been feeling vanished instantly, 'Sorry,'

'No problem,' smiling once more, the shopkeeper turned to go, 'You lot should come back to my lovely shop for a bit,' his grin deepened, 'I bet you've all got a lot to tell me,'

'Why does that sound suspicious?' Ichigo's face would've been hilarious if everyone hadn't had the day that they'd just had, 'You two are so . . . _creepy_,'

'I am _not _creepy,' Yoruichi looked rather menacing and the orange haired teenager barely refrained from taking a step away from her, 'Take it back,'

Although it was rather odd behaviour considering the woman's usual personality, Ichigo blinked and quickly said, 'I'm sorry!' then he added, as if as an afterthought, 'By the way, Soifon said she wanted to speak to you sometime soon. And she, uh,' he paused, wondering just how he was supposed to get his meaning across, 'She looked pretty angry so I'd watch out if I were you,'

Yoruichi surprised everyone by laughing hard, 'She's such an uptight person, you know,' more laughter, 'Yeah, when I go to the Soul Society next, I'll have a chat with her. Sure thing,'

Unfortunately for everyone else, the woman kept chuckling for quite some minutes after she'd begun, and it was late in the night by the time they stepped through the doorway of Urahara Shoten.

* * *

><p><em>Despair does not pull down the victorious,<em>

_Or mar their glory,_

_As they march proudly,_

_Under the bright sun._

_-0-_

_Sorrow only enters hearts,_

_And tugs at minds,_

_When they sleep,_

_Under the glowing moon._

_-0-_

_Stay awhile,_

_To calm your souls,_

_Away from reality,_

_Just a short while more._

* * *

><p>Author's Note:<p>

So everyone went home . . .

There won't be much more, I don't think, but still, I hope you all continue to enjoy, or dislike, this story


	68. Chapter 34: Life Goes On

_Chapter 34: Life Goes On . . ._

After one of the worst night's sleep on his personal record, Kira Izuru opened his eyes fully and stared at his ceiling listlessly, not planning to move an inch all day. There was nothing interesting that he could think of getting up to do, nor anything important enough to warrant any movement or effort on his part. There was no longer a single person who could ever hope to make him smile, let alone laugh. He felt like wallowing in depression for the rest of his life and not halting in his melancholy path until he hit a wall, which would just make him feel even more miserable.

It was odd, really, how nothing had seemed to make an impact on his emotional state until he woke up after only sleeping a few minutes, and realised in full awareness, what had occurred. His captain was lost, the Division was in disarray, and its Lieutenant was pondering everything from the prison of his own bed.

Izuru sighed deeply and, as that seemed to relieve some of the pressure building up in his chest, he did it again.

Around twenty-two and a half sighs later, a sudden, abrupt knock at the door made him pause, mid-exhalation, and blink in mild surprise. He then contemplated not answering and pretending he was dead, just so that no one would bother him, but then he figured that whoever it was would probably already have sensed his reiatsu.

'Come in,' Izuru then found that his voice cracked terribly and he realised that he was so thirsty that he thought he could drink every single glass of water in the Seireitei. Sake would, no doubt, have been more effective in the short term, but he didn't feel like suffering the aftereffects. Still, even those two things didn't inspire any thoughts of moving in his head.

'Why-,' the word was drawn out in a frighteningly familiar way, 'What _are _you doing, Izuru?'

'M-matsumoto?'

Now _that _was more than enough motivation to have the blonde man up and ready to fight in less than a minute. He was feeling slightly dizzy, as one does spending a long time in a horizontal position, and then suddenly getting up.

Seconds after Kira Izuru collapsed onto a chair, unable to remain steady any longer, Rangiku burst through the door, a smile on her face, sake bottles in her hands, and dark marks beneath her eyes.

Izuru almost threw up when he caught the faintest whiff of alcohol, and he sincerely hoped Matsumoto had brought the drink for herself, not him. It wouldn't be good at all if he got really sick. Then he couldn't work out why, because there was nothing he needed to be doing that required a sober head.

'Goodness gracious!' staring at the haggard, dark face of the other Lieutenant, Rangiku gasped in shock, 'What _did _you do to yourself?'

'Huh?' Izuru found that he had to concentrate just to remain sitting up, so trying to keep up with a conversation was a useless venture doomed to fail before he'd even tried, 'You should g-go away,' he tried to steady himself by reaching for the table, but ended up hitting his head on it instead, 'I'm not g-good company,'

Intending to fall asleep again, and hopefully never wake up, although he did believe he'd become an insomniac, Kira was incredibly shocked and rather annoyed when Rangiku didn't go away and instead sat down on another chair and began drinking the most sake he'd ever witnessed someone drinking in one go.

The man suddenly realised that she'd probably just come to the Third Division to escape what was most presumaby a suffocating atmosphere in her own Division, and, after coming to that conclusion, he stopped trying to talk to her, and trying to make her go, and went back to flop on his bed again, leaving Matsumoto to her sake and _her _troubles.

After all, he had enough of his own to deal with without trying to help someone else with theirs.

* * *

><p>Matsumoto paused as she drained another bottle of alcohol. She was feeling terrible, and not just because of the drink. After all, everyone in the Tenth Division was trying to stay as far from the barracks as possible. A few of them had even taken to camping in the courtyard, despite the snow and cold, which was nothing in comparison to the absolutely freezing temperatures inside the buildings. She was worried about her captain, but she'd already found that she couldn't even get a few metres from the door to his room without being frozen solid.<p>

It was strange, but the reality of what had happened hadn't set in until everyone was lying on their beds about to fall asleep. That seemed so cruel, in her opinion, as, after everything, the end of the day came along with nightmares and restless sleep, if any sleep at all. Still, the majority of the shinigami still seemed to be functioning normally, even some of the ones who'd gone to Ushinawa. Well, relatively normally, anyway . . .

Rangiku felt like she was going through living hell. Except a really, really freezing and . . . and _freezing _version. Her captain's reiatsu had gone insane the night before, and she'd only just got out of the barracks, along with most of the Division members, before everything was covered in ice. It was like a death trap, and one man had already broken his arm, ankle and left index finger when he slipped over walking along the portico. The offices were alright, so far, and everyone was half hoping that Hitsugaya Toshiro would just stay in the barracks, and not spread more deadly ice into the other buildings.

'Urgh,' slamming down an empty bottle with such force that the table looked in danger of beginning to crack, Rangiku groaned, 'I can't cope with this anymore,' she'd expected Izuru to just ignore her, and he was, considering that he was lying on his bed, staring at the ceiling, and hardly even breathing, but all she'd needed was an indoor space that was different to the Tenth Division offices, 'This is insane,'

Looking about unsteadily, the woman tried to focus on a single flower in a vase across the room from her, but found that it was swaying and shimmering too fast for her to keep up with, 'I'm gonna have to talk to him,' she was beginning to slur her words together, 'Somehow,' then she laughed tonelessly, 'Maybe Renji'll blow up a kido for me just to make a path through that ice,'

'Are you two starting a club for depressed and wasted shinigami? And what was that about my kido?'

The sudden interruption to both Matsumoto and Izuru's personal activities made them blink slowly and turn to look at the door even slower.

'Renji, Rukia,' Rangiku dropped her bottle in surprise, ignoring the mess she made, 'What are _you _two doing here?' then she frowned, 'Hey, you look pretty _wasted _yourself,'

Renji, who was rather pale compared to his tattoos and hair, also had bags under his eyes and what looked like a running nose. There was a large white thing in his hand which was, most presumably, an oversized tissue. As he stood there, he used it and made an odd sound like a ship's horn.

Rukia, on the other hand, looked calm and collected. Her shihakusho was neat and clean and her hair was perfectly in place. There weren't any dark patches under her indigo eyes either. The only sign that showed she'd had just as traumatic a night as everyone else who'd either been to Ushinawa, or was in the Third Division itself, was the dark and sad look _in _her eyes.

'We're not the only ones here,' Rukia stepped aside to reveal Hisagi and . . . who was that little guy from the Fourth Division? What was his name again? Hana . . . 'hana' what?

_It__'__s __not __mountain __flower_, Rangiku stared at his face which was ever so slightly dopey, _Yama __Hana. __So, __so, _her mind struggled to focus, _Oh __I __give __up, __it__'__s __not __like __I __care._

Seeing the vexed look on the Tenth Division Lieutenant's face, Rukia added, 'Yamada Hanataro, Seventh Seat of the Fourth Division,'

'Oh, that's right,' not bothering to pretend that she hadn't remembered, Matsumoto stood shakily and held out a hand to Izuru, helping the almost catatonic man to his feet, 'So what were you here for?'

'Apart from the fact that everyone who went to Ushinawa needs to go to the Fourth Division for a check-up,' Rukia kept speaking as it didn't look like anyone else was going to give the message, 'The Head Captain asked Hanataro to tell you, Lieutenant Matsumoto, that Captain Unohana will be placing a barrier around Captain Hitsugaya's office so that he can keep working and so that nobody will get,' she paused, barely refraining from rubbing her face in bemusement, 'Hurt,'

'Okay,' nodding in appreciation, Rangiku added, 'So why did you _all _come just to say that?'

'Because I met Hanataro, who was supposed to do all of this message delivering himself, when he was running from Ikkaku, after he'd tried to tell him to go to the Fourth Division,' Rukia gave up and put a hand over her right eye, rubbing slightly, 'Then I said I'd go too, since I would have had to visit the Fourth Division later anyway, and we picked up this lot on the way,'

'Oh,' Rangiku began laughing wildly, 'Then let's all go for our examination at the Fourth!' she was walking back _into_ the room, dragging Izuru with her, and she only stopped when she met the wall, 'Whoops!'

Sighing, Rukia began herding everyone towards the General Emergency Relief Station, not at all trusting Hanataro to do the job himself.

* * *

><p>Ikkaku was glaring at Yumichika, because there was nothing else to glare at that would glare back, but he found, with some disappointment, that his old friend was more interested in fixing his feathers and his hair than beginning a staring match.<p>

'Ikkaku,' finally giving in, the Fifth Seat turned to look at the other man, 'Will you stop that?' when there was no response, and the staring certainly did not cease, he sighed and continued, 'Look, we _will _need to go to the Fourth Division soon, because if we don't, then Unohana will appear and scare us half to death,'

Ikkaku laughed suddenly, a very suspicious sound, 'Hey Yumichika, what do you think happens if you scare someone half to death . . . twice?'

'Are you seriously asking me that?' rather annoyed now, Yumichika turned away again, 'Leave me alone,'

'I'd say that once you'd done it, you'd both go and eat wrapped onigiri,' Ikkaku didn't seem to mind that he wasn't completely making sense.

In reality, both of them were just trying to distract themselves. Despite not having their sleep interrupted or gaining nasty looking, all natural, under-eye shadow, they were still feeling a bit odd. Which, in itself, was odd, since they were from the Eleventh Division, and they weren't supposed to feel sad about anything other than missing out on a good fight. Still, like everyone, they were slightly affected by certain recent events, and it made them feel lethargic.

'Hey, hey!' Yachiru suddenly popped out of nowhere, waving something sharp around in a dangerous fashion, 'You've got three seconds to get to the Fourth Division, or Unohana said I could use this,' she jabbed at them with the syringe, 'To make you nice and _pliable_,'

'Pliable? What the hell is that supposed to mean?' Ikkaku didn't like the sound of it at all. It was the sort of word which suggested that, once implemented, would cause people to act like dish cloths if they were asked to.

'Like,' the Lieutenant leaned forwards, pink hair almost tickling Ikkaku's face, 'Bubble gum!'

Her shriek was so piercing that the bald man felt that he'd just gone completely deaf and blind. Although only he would know why blindness was included in the equation.

'Alright! Yumichika! Let's go!' jumping up, Ikkaku grabbed his friend by the shoulders and propelled both of them all the way to the Relief Station, with Yachiru trying to stick the needle into a certain part of his 'lower back'.

* * *

><p>Sitting in his peaceful house, listening to Byakuya's koi swimming around in <em>his <em>pond, Ukitake Jushiro sighed and reached for his tea pot. There were a lot of things trying to take up his attention, but tea always came first. As he poured the hot liquid into one of the cups before him, the white haired captain wondered how Kyoraku was going. After all, the night before he'd fallen asleep after drinking way too much, and Nanao had had to take him all the way back to the Eighth Division. That was, at least, what Ukitake had been informed of by his Third Seats.

_Poor __her, _thinking about how furious the Lieutenant would be, and hoping for his friend's sake that she wasn't holding any of her massive books, Ukitake sipped his tea pensively, _She __does __have __quite __a __hard __job, __really._

The captain of the Thirteenth Division was trying hard not to get too concerned over everyone's current mental health. He'd heard that Kenpachi had wandered off into the Rukongai looking for Yachiru, although the Lieutenant had been on his back the whole time. He'd heard that Soifon had been inside a sealed room, one which was rumoured to be full of various black cat shaped items, ever since they'd returned. He'd heard that Byakuya had managed to walk past his empty koi ponds without batting an eyelid, presumably because his thoughts were elsewhere. He'd heard that Matsumoto had been binge drinking, which wasn't so unusual, and that Izuru had been in a state akin to a coma. He'd heard that Renji had eaten the Seireitei's spiciest curry without so much as twitching, and that Hisagi had gone around telling everyone how much he loved his zanpakuto. And, of course, he'd heard how the Tenth Division had been turned into an icy world where walking required the balance of a trained figure skater, and probably twice the courage. Well, you can't believe everything you hear, but still . . .

_Everyone__'__s __a __little __bit __out __of __character __at __the __moment. __They__'__ve __had __a __pretty __bad __knock __to __their __worlds, _Jushiro sighed and began stirring his tea faster, _I __wonder __how __Kurosaki __and __his __friends __are __going, __although __I __suspect __Urahara __would __have __made __sure __nothing __bad __happened __to __them, _tea began to splosh out of the cup as the captain's pace increased yet again, _Still, __I __wonder __how __long __things __will __be __on __hold __until __everything __straightens __out __again__.__.__._

His thought process was interrupted when his hand clenched a little too hard on the cup and it burst into pieces, 'Oh dear me. What a shame . . .'

* * *

><p>Urahara sat at one of his tables, not looking at Yoruichi, and pondered the previous night's events. Kurosaki had had to be quietly separated from the others by a kido barrier after his reiatsu had got just a little bit too <em>active<em>. Ishida had been restless the whole night, Chad appeared to have slept with his eyes half open, and Inoue had told about thirty different, and completely _strange_, stories while she slept, waving her arms about animatedly.

'I bet that at the moment Kurosaki's angry, Ishida's contemplative, Chad's remembering, and Inoue's making something odd in her kitchen,' Urahara spoke finally, 'Don't you think it was a good idea to let them stay? Still, it really would've only been Kurosaki who would've disrupted anyone else's sleep, considering that the others don't have anyone _to_bother,'

'You're right,' Yoruichi glanced up, golden eyes sharp, 'But why are you saying this?'

'I don't know,' sighing deeply, the shopkeeper put down his fan, 'But still, there's something unfinished about the whole matter, don't you agree?'

'I'll say yes and pretend you make more sense than Soifon's cat collection,' the woman chuckled lightly, one hand brushing back her purple hair, 'However, I'll also say this,' she slammed her hand down onto the table, smashing it into quite a few pieces, 'Kisuke! Stop dwelling on things that have already happened! It doesn't help anything, alright?'

Urahara looked up, took one glance at her, then went back to staring at the destroyed table, 'Please stop breaking my furniture-,'

'Kisuke!' the warning tone, along with her menacing posture would've made anyone else keel over in a dead faint.

'Sorry! Alright, I'll stop!' speaking quickly and then stopping, the man began to peer at the mess before him once more, 'And you've got to stop breaking my furniture!'

'I didn't break it!'

'You did too! No argument about it! That mess is there because you can't control your temper!' Urahara had decided a long, long time ago that it was unwise to argue with a woman who could turn into a cat, but it _was_a good way to keep his mind from _dwelling_.

'Argh! You get back here!' leaping up and stomping right across the now very broken table, Yoruichi began to chase Urahara through his own shop, knowing exactly what was going through his mind.

* * *

><p>Inside his office, which was still under the self-activating kido, designed to stop his reiatsu from affecting anything outside of the room he was in, whenever he was in it, Toshiro stared at the wall. He was sitting on one of the couches and hadn't touched a single paper on his desk, but still, being out of the barracks somehow seemed <em>healthier.<em>

_It__'__s __interesting, __I __think_, he sighed slightly, _How __no __one__'__s __life _really _stops. __They __have __their __daily __rhythms __disrupted __for __a __while, __but __it __always __sorts __itself __out __and __then __everything__'__s __normal __again. __The __world __continues __to __move, __nobody__'__s __life __stops __. __. __. __it __really _is _fascinating. __And __it__'__s __not __just __the __world, __it__'__s __also __time__.__.__._

_Time __keeps __moving __in __its __slow, __unstoppable __path, __and __we __are __simply __swept __along __with __it, __meeting __jagged __rocks, __hidden __dangers, __and __cliffs __when __we __are __meant __to __. __. __. __the __current __is __unstoppable. __Don__'__t __try __to __fight __it __. __. __. __it __is __a __battle __that __will __hold __you __in __the __past_.

_I __know __all __of __this, __and __I __can __say __it __a __million __times, _turquoise eyes closed and a cool calm descended in the room, _A __million __times __which __will __do __nothing __. __. __._

'Currents,' in an attempt to hold his thought process on a topic that was a little less raw, the white haired captain said the word aloud, 'Currents,'

_They never stop. Time keeps flowing. The world continues to revolve. Time is eternal._

* * *

><p>Matsumoto stopped outside her captain's office, glad that all of the dangerous ice was gone and that the only snow you could see was natural, and <em>outside<em>. She could sense the barrier around the room, but she knew that it wasn't to contain the captain, or prevent people from entering. It was just a . . . . safety measure.

As she leaned on the door, she heard something funny, and then, a couple of seconds later, she heard it again. Thinking the whole thing was a marvellous coincidence, she pulled open the door and waltzed inside, glad to see that the frost was only very thin, and already receeding.

'Hey Captain!' she was smiling cheerily, silently thanking Unohana for cleaning her up, 'I couldn't help but overhear what you were saying before. If that's what you wanted, you could've just asked!' she couldn't work out why the shinigami before her was giving her such a blank stare, 'What?' grinning, she pulled a small bag from her pocket, 'Here!'

'What is it?' Toshiro was very suspicious, and he was also wondering what the hell his Lieutenant was babbling on about, 'Matsumoto?'

Rangiku's blue eyes were sparkling and her smile couldn't have gotten any bigger, 'Currants,'

'Currants?' the white haired captain echoed her in confusion, the completely taken aback by the reply.

'You know,' she still hadn't worked out why he was looking at her in such a withering way, 'Small dried grapes,' she opened the bag and held one up, 'See,'

'Why . . . why would you give me a bag of currants?' he was absolutely baffled, so surprised that he was almost distracted from his darker thoughts, 'And _where _did you get them from in the first place?'

'I gave them to you because I heard you say _currants_,' the woman did her best at imitating his voice, 'Twice. And I got them because Unohana said I was good at my check-up so I should get a reward,' Rangiku was overflowing with bubbliness, keeping her own worries hidden for the sake of her captain, 'Still, I don't know where _she _got them, after all, you don't generally find them around the Soul Society,'

Toshiro had stopped listening after the part about Unohana, and now, with an impassive face, but sarcastic tone, he said, 'You got a _reward_? What are you? Five years old?'

'Hey, hey, hey!' although she was glad her captain was certainly still in a better condition compared to Izuru, Matsumoto didn't like the insulting way he was talking to her, 'Don't be so mean!'

Sighing suddenly, the captain looked up at his Lieutenant seriously, 'Apart from trying to give me . . . currants,' he still couldn't believe it, really, it was completely bewildering, 'Was there something you wanted Matsumoto?'

The woman wanted to ask him if he was alright. She wanted to say he could talk to her if he wanted to. She wanted to tell him how everyone else was doing. But instead she just smiled again and spoke with only slightly less than her usual cheer, 'No, I was just passing by when I thought you said you wanted some currants,' she stood up to leave, 'Don't worry about me, I was going to a-,'

'Shinigami Women's Association meeting,' considering the circumstances, Toshiro hardly believed that a meeting would be held, but there was something about the way Matsumoto had been saying it . . . it was almost like she was trying to remind him of more carefree times, 'I know, Matsumoto,'

'Brilliant!' with a true smile, one that she really, honestly meant, Rangiku turned and left the office, waving casually to Toshiro, 'I'll see you again tomorrow, captain!'

'Just don't get too drunk and . . . stay safe,' the white haired captain added, despite knowing that she was already out of hearing distance, and then he picked up the bag of currants.

* * *

><p>Author's Note:<p>

It has been decided, officially and unanimously, by myself and me, that there will be only one more chapter to this story . . . it's been a long one . . .

Still, please keep reading until the end . . .


	69. Chapter 35: Forever

_Chapter 35: Forever_

It was a bright, sunny morning that seemed very out of place for winter, but Rangiku found she was enjoying every second of the warmth. The night before, to her own surprise, she'd managed to get back to the barracks and go to sleep without touching a single bottle of sake. It was good, she thought, because then her captain wouldn't be cross at her, just because she was drunk, hung-over, or both.

'Izuru!' seeing the blonde man shuffling along the street in the direction of the Third Division, she couldn't help but call out cheerily. Already the woman could sense a lightening in the atmosphere around the Seireitei, and she was glad, realising that, in the short space of time since they'd been back, people were beginning to release the past and begin focusing on the present.

_Just __like __Rukia __said_, as she skipped over to Izuru, the thought crossed Rangiku's mind. She thought that it was slightly cruel of her, to say that she was glad people were beginning to let their memories of Kanashimi go to rest, but she sincerely believed that the Third Division captain would definitely not have wanted people to linger in the past and drown in their sadness.

'What's up?' skidding around Izuru and stopping his forward motion, Rangiku stared hard at him, noting the new lines under his eyes which, the day before, Unohana had removed, 'Don't tell me you're still being hard on yourself? When we first got back into the World of the Living, you were so calm, and you even had enough courage to approach my captain,' noting that his one visible eye widened slightly, she grinned triumphantly, 'Yeah, don't tell me you thought I wouldn't notice!'

'G-go away,' Izuru couldn't believe that he hadn't noticed her watching, even as she'd been arguing with Renji and the others over, what was it again . . . oh, whether or not getting angry had anything to do with getting _lost_. Matsumoto generally had a knack for making him look bad, or useless, which was bad, and that was embarrassing.

'I'm trying to be nice,' the woman sighed and ran her hand through her strawberry blonde hair, 'Just relax a bit,' staring into his eyes, she added, 'Captain Kanashimi wouldn't have wanted to see you like this. She thought you were a strong and capable Lieutenant,'

Izuru paused in his shock, almost falling over, even though he wasn't moving, 'Did she say that? Really?'

Looking at his face, knowing the state of his Division, and needing to help out, Rangiku smiled and patter his shoulder, 'That's right,'

'I,' he looked embarrassed but happy, 'I've got to go!' not waiting for a reply, the Lieutenant hurried onwards towards the Third Division, smiling, 'Thank you Matsumoto! I'll try not to be so miserable and I'll work hard! I really will!'

As he disappeared from sight, the woman briefly hoped she'd done the right thing . . . _lying _like that. Still, it had done the job and hopefully everyone would soon begin working as usual again. She'd already come to the conclusion that it really _was _unhealthy trying to keep sorrowful memories trapped in your head.

'I'd better go see how the captain's getting on,' smiling in a slightly wry fashion, before she realised it might make her look old, Matsumoto Rangiku cast aside her doubts over whether or not her decision had been right, and skipped off in the direction of her Division.

* * *

><p>As he got up from the couch, after his whole body had gone numb and he was sure his legs were about to fall off due to the complete lack of circulation, Toshiro stretched and sighed, wandering, at the slowest possible pace, towards his desk.<p>

_I __should __start __on __work, __I __should __start __on __work, __I __don__'__t __want __to __start __on __work_, his thinking was rather monotonous, but it was the best way to stop himself from dwelling on painful thoughts, _Give __it __up, __you__'__re _going _to __start __on __work_.

Placing a hand on the back of his chair and staring out the window, the captain blinked and frowned, _Wow, __you__'__re __going __completely __insane. __One __of __the __first __signs __of __insanity __is __talking __to __yourself. __Still, __does __it __count __since __I__'__m __talking __to __myself __in __my __head?_

Noticing the bag of currants sitting on the papers at the middle of the wooden table, Toshiro blinked again, _Stop __talking __to __yourself. __Focus __on __something __else __like __. __. __. __those __currants._

Seeing the innocent bag of dried grapes made the Tenth Division captain began to smile, without him realising it, and he reached out to pick it up. It was a hilarious misinterpretation, and he could imagine what Yuki's face would've looked like if he'd told her of it later. Something like the expression she'd worn when he spoke of the snowmen, most probably, but she wouldn't have tried to stop her smile, because she wouldn't have needed to.

As the cloth was lifted from the desk, Toshiro realised that there was something on the unfinished report. Penned delicately in black ink was a drawing which took up a full half page. It resembled an all too familiar image. An oriental lattice.

Reaching out, the white haired captain's fingers had barely touched the paper when ice shot across the surface and the whole page shattered, vanishing in a sparkle of snow dust.

Letting the bag of currants drop back onto his desk, Toshiro turned to stare out the window again, eyes focusing on a puffy white cloud, drifting slowly across a bright, cheerful blue sky.

_It__'__s __odd __but __. __. __. __somehow __seeing __that, _his thoughts were distant but light, surprising him, _Calms __these __annoying __troubling __musings. __I __can__'__t __say __why, __but __I__'__m __glad._

Leaning forwards so that he could rest against the wall and get a better view of the sky, the captain continued his internal conversation, _We __parted __at __a __crossroad, __and __now, __the __only __thing __I __can __do, __is __continue __forward __along __this __path __of __fate, __knowing __that __. __. __. __someday __. __. __. __the __roads __we __walk __will __cross __once __again, _he stepped back into the dimmer light of his office, turning and pulling out his chair, _So __I __will __keep __waiting, __for __the __day __when __I __can __go __to __the __Third __Division __. __. __. __and __she __will __be __there, _he picked up the brush and dipped it into the glossy black ink, _Greeting __me __with __a __smile, _glancing at the currants again, he chuckled and added, _And __then __we __can __both __try __to __make __a __diligent __Lieutenant __out __of __Matsumoto __and __also __try __to __figure __out __where __Unohana __managed __to __get __currants __from._

* * *

><p>Although she knew it was rather childish, Rangiku was pretending to be a spy, something she'd seen in quite a few movies, and was currently hiding behind two large pots. She was trying to secretly observe people in their daily lives, having completely forgotten about her captain, just so that she could tease them later.<p>

Earlier in the day, she'd heard from a guy in the Third Division, who'd heard from someone in the Fifth Division, who'd heard from a cleaner from the Fourth Division, who'd overheard the Lieutenant of the First Division saying that he'd spoken to Yamamoto, and the Head Captain had said that everyone in the Human World was alright now, and Rangiku found she was glad. Especially for Orihime, whom she considered a close friend.

'Come a little bit closer,' she hissed under her breath as Renji stopped nearby, looking at a paper in his hand, 'I want to hear what you're muttering about,'

The woman sincerely hoped she wasn't too loud, because being caught just wouldn't do, in her opinion.

'Renji!' an angry yell made both Lieutenants, although one was hidden from plain sight, jump and look about in surprise, 'I can't believe you!'

'What?' the red headed man glared at Rukia as she stormed over to him, hands clenched and indigo eyes flashing. A second later, after he'd been punched in the stomach, Renji guessed what his childhood friend was probably angry about, 'Oh, don't tell me you're mad because I refused to go swimming in Captain Ukitake's pond just to get your brother's fish back,' as he got hit again, he realised he must've guessed right first try.

'You idiot! I know my Nii-sama is far too dignified to say anything, but you're an absolute jerk Renji!' as he was now sprawled on the ground, she flicked his forehead with her finger, 'When I asked you to do that yesterday, I didn't expect you to fail so miserably! I know my captain doesn't mind the fish, but I also know that my Nii-sama _does _mind the fact that they're _gone_!'

'Look,' sitting up, Renji tried to reason with her, guessing that she was still a little down and was trying to keep her mind occupied, 'Even if I took all of those damn koi back to the Sixth Division, Yachiru would just move them back again!'

'I know,' losing all of her ferocity in a single sigh, Rukia sat down in the middle of the road as well, 'And I was thinking that maybe I should investigate those things I heard of in the World of the Living. Aquatic rabbits,'

'Aquatic rabbits?' knowing the definitions of both those words, the Sixth Division Lieutenant blinked, 'Don't say that there are rabbits which live in water,'

'That's what I heard,' the petite shinigami was very serious, eyes narrowed as if she was concentrating deeply.

'Forget it. My Captain wouldn't want rabbits swimming around in his ponds, no matter what!' Renji stood and dusted down his shihakusho, glad that he hadn't worn his new pair of sunglasses today, because he was sure they'd have been broken, 'And I don't even think such a ridiculously pathetic thing could exist!'

'They do so!' although she wasn't certain, Rukia wasn't willing to let the man so openly disagree with her, 'They eat things in the water and move with the currents!'

'CURRANTS!'

The sudden exuberant shout made both Rukia and Renji stop glaring at each other and turn around. As Renji spoke, in a rather dumbstruck way, saying, 'Did that pot just talk?', Rangiku leapt up, knocked both of the items which had been her 'cover' over, and shot off in the direction of her Division, shouting things about forgetting to go see how her currants were going and needing to buy some more of her captain for her currants as her currants had apparently wanted to have some captain the day before.

'Not to be spoken of again, alright?' Renji shook his head in bewilderment and turned to go back to his Division, 'See you Rukia,'

'Bye Renji,' forgetting completely about their argument, the shinigami waved at her friend absently before using shunpo to take herself to the Thirteenth Division, 'I wonder if the captain needs anything . . .'

* * *

><p>As Rangiku approached the office of Hitsugaya Toshiro, she almost fell over and died when she heard something she'd only recently been introduced to. Looking about to make sure she was in the right Division and nodding when she confirmed it was the Tenth's offices, the woman crept forwards, trying to hide her reiatsu as best she could.<p>

Placing a hand on the door, and noting that the kido had been removed, Matsumoto pulled it open ever so slightly, and then paused, the shock still overcoming her curiosity.

The sound she could hear was, without a doubt, the laughter of Captain Hitsugaya. But it didn't make sense, because he really didn't have any reason to be laughing at the moment, considering what he'd just lost. It was also odd because, unless that was just how he always laughed, and she wouldn't know, Rangiku was sure that it was the same kind of chuckle that she'd heard during the celebrations, when he'd been hiding from her in the Sixth Division with Captain Kanashimi. The pair of them had been laughing then, and the harmony of the sounds had reminded her of . . . conspirators. She could recall every part of her thoughts on the matter.

_Why would the Captain be laughing like that now? Surely . . ._

Pale blue eyes widening, the Lieutenant moved so that she could see into the room, more than half expecting to see Kanashimi Yuki seated on one of the couches, or leaning against a wall, watching Hitsugaya laughing with a still stoic expression on her face.

_No, _eyes scanning the room and noting that nothing was different except the captain, who was sitting _on _the table that rested between the couches, and laughing while he held the bag of currants, and some water soaked documents on his desk, _Of __course __not, __I__'__m __foolish __to __think __that, _the woman slid the door shut again, briefly hoping it wasn't the currants causing her captain's odd behaviour, _But __. __. __._

Rangiku took a few steps down the hall, eyes fixed on the door to the outside world, feeling a single tear slide down her cheek before she dashed it away. Then she heard her captain pause his chuckling before beginning to laugh again. The sound was so open, and yet secretive, cheerful, and yet serious. _Conspirators __. __. __._

As Matsumoto reached the doorway, she stepped out onto the portico, walking away from the offices at a brisk pace, and then, right in the middle of the courtyard, she paused and looked back, a small, hesitant smile on her lips, and hope in her pale blue eyes.

_Kanashimi Yuki . . . are you still alive?_

* * *

><p><em>Finale: The Last Movement<em>

Though the Seasons May Pass

_-0-_

_Cold wind whistles through bare branches,_

_Snowflakes fall on clean courtyards,_

_Laughter echoes down busy streets,_

_Winter._

_-0-_

_A flower opens among crisp green grass,_

_Sakura are blossoming wildly,_

_Quiet afternoons in the sun,_

_Spring._

_-0-_

_The rain falls in an endless curtain,_

_Greenery glistens with moisture,_

_Plum trees bear fruit,_

_Summer._

_-0-_

_The maple leaves flutter in the breeze,_

_Clouds are swept from the sky,_

_There is a promise of cold,_

_Autumn._

_-0-_

_The seasons pass by,_

_The days fly away,_

_The year seems like it has no end._

_-0-_

_But no matter what,_

_Though the seasons may pass,_

_And the days will never return,_

_I will be waiting,_

_Even if it is forever,_

_I will always be waiting,_

_For you._

* * *

><p>Author's Note:<p>

And that's the end . . . thank you very much if you read this far. I decided not to make the story finish in a definite way, however, I will be writing an epilogue which will conclude things in a _'tidier' _manner, maybe . . .

Also, I was wondering if anyone got tired of my random poetry, which I don't even know _is _poetry or not . . . anyway, I just found that sometimes it was an easier way of, hopefully, conveying certain points . . .

So, once again, that was the official end, which I personally find hard to deal with, and I'd love to know what you thought . . . and THANK YOU SO MUCH! Stories are nothing without readers . . .


	70. Epilogue: The Meaning to my Life

_Epilogue: Black Ink Shades a White Page, the Meaning to my Life_

Walking through the Tenth Division offices, Hitsugaya Toshiro tried to ignore the constant, loud hum of voices. Occasionally he'd hear something about 'Captain Hitsugaya' or his Lieutenant, Matsumoto Rangiku, but most of it was meaningless, buzzing chatter.

As he continued along, two words kept catching his attention before he forcefully removed them from his mind, his relatively permanent frown deepening.

_Third Division_

In the last year, one which had seemed to drag on forever, he'd grown taller and become more skilled with his Bankai, but, despite Matsumoto's attempts to 'get him together with a nice girl', his mindset in that regard hadn't changed at all. He was still waiting, and had vowed to so forever.

Sighing, the white haired captain tried to focus on nothing, as those two little words kept pounding a rhythm in his mind, making his head hurt, not to mention his heart.

Finally, unable to resist any longer, Toshiro took full notice of what was said around him, slowing his brisk pace.

'The Third Division,'

'Did you hear?'

'Third Division,'

'What happened?'

'Well, you see, I heard,'

'The Third Division,'

'Third,'

'This morning,'

'Division,'

'Yesterday was the fish,'

The words were all jumbled and Toshiro wondered why he'd thought it would bring him anything but heartache . . . or complete bewilderment. He was about to continue on when one voice carried through the rest with perfect clarity before fading away into the jumble of voices again.

'Captain of the Third Division, today,'

Turquoise eyes widening, Toshiro began to run through the corridors, hardly noticing what he was doing. As he reached the door, powerful shunpo carried the captain towards the buildings of the Third Division.

He shouldn't hope . . . who knew, it might be someone else all together . . . or just reminiscent talk . . .

But he couldn't help it.

Arriving at the offices, the white haired captain raced along the rooftops, jumping down as he neared the wooden outdoor platform area. The place he knew she'd first met her Division at.

Walking forward slowly now, he was suddenly filled with doubt and, just before he turned the corner and moved onto the platform, he stopped, apprehension taking control and freezing his body. The reiatsu he could sense, the one that didn't belong to Kira, was cool, but not harsh and icy. It held the promise of a distant spring, albeit a _very _distant spring, and was unknown to him.

He didn't want to have to suffer again. Suffer because of false hope. Especially since he needed every bit of his resolve to stop himself from having a breakdown. Time could stretch even the strongest mind to breaking point, especially after everything that had happened.

The captain turned and began to leave, taking slow steps away along the walkway silently, and then he heard Kira Izuru laugh. The melancholy shinigami was _laughing_.

Halting, Toshiro turned just in time to see the Third Division Lieutenant walk off, waving to some unseen person.

Not thinking any more, the white haired captain ran back up the walkway and out onto the platform, breath coming in short, uneven inhalations and exhalations, although it certainly wasn't because of overexertion.

A single figure in a captain's haori stood with their back to him, and for a moment he was frozen again, doubts crowding his senses until he could hardly even think.

And then the captain did a half turn and smiled beautifully, black hair fanning out behind her and violet eyes sparkling with unusual mischievousness, 'It was a promise, right?'

Toshiro almost cried as, for the second and final time, he found the meaning to his life. And, in that same moment, he realised he really could have waited forever for Kanashimi Yuki to return. Because he'd always known she would.

* * *

><p>'You could've come visit,' his tone was lecturing and lightly accusing. He could have asked how she was still alive, how she was, if everyone else knew . . . but at that moment, none of the details mattered.<p>

'Ah,' she nodded thoughtfully, still smiling slightly, 'True, but I just got back to the Seireitei and I thought Kira would benefit from seeing me the most, so,' she trailed off, her tone faintly taunting, in a way that seemed uncharacteristically _playful_.

'Did your personality suddenly change as well as your reiatsu?' walking a bit closer, Toshiro realised he really had grown in the last year, having become slightly taller than the Third Division captain, 'Or did I just forget what you were really like?'

'Not at all,' and, as if someone had flicked a switch, sombre and cold Kanashimi returned and continued speaking evenly, reiatsu dropping to chilly iciness, 'But anyway-,'

Whatever Yuki had been about to say obviously wasn't important enough for the Tenth Division captain to wait and listen to, because Toshiro cut her off by kissing her.

_When our two worlds collided,_

_I found a part of me,_

_That I didn't realise I was missing._

_You are the meaning,_

_To my life._

Although the words flowed through the white haired shinigami's mind, they no longer bothered him in the slightest. He recalled the image of his desk covered in blood, and the black ink being swallowed up by the crimson wetness, and realised how that had been a glimpse of the future. The representation of Yuki's apparent death.

He could still vividly remember how it had felt to leave the other captain in Ushinawa as the dimension collapsed around them. How hard it had been to cast her aside in favour of duty.

_You opened your mind to me,_

_And became my meaning,_

_A reason to smile._

_Then you were gone,_

_And I was alone._

She'd shared her memories with him and told him her greatest fear. But still, when it came down to a live or die situation, she'd chosen the option which would ultimately save everyone but herself. They'd laughed together, and unashamedly spied on passing shinigami during the winter celebrations, when they'd been hidden under a building in the Kuchiki Manor. He smiled as he remembered explaining about Matsumoto and the snowmen, and then watching as his Lieutenant searched about for him, entombing unlucky people who got in her way, in spheres of ice. Or, more accurately, _one _person, Kira Izuru. That time seemed like it had occurred centuries ago. And, in a sense, it had, because everything had been relatively calm then, before the chaos caused by the real fight in Ushinawa against the Forgotten Souls.

_The meaning to my life returns,_

_One who was once lost,_

_Please stay with me forever._

_There is no longer,_

_Such darkness in your soul._

As he held Yuki tightly, content enough just to be near her again, the white haired captain let the words flow, drifting along a peaceful path through his thoughts. They seemed so comforting now, when they'd been such an annoyance previously. It was a strangely amusing thought.

_My heart beats like a thousand wings,_

_And I give my soul to you,_

_As I cannot stop smiling to frown._

_This odd feeling,_

_Is . . . _

Toshiro blinked as he realised that his heart was indeed pounding away at a million miles per hour, and he smiled in amusement. Then he also noticed that he was already smiling, although he could imagine how sentimental and _old_ he looked. Still, the tension that he'd been feeling when he approached the Third Division had been immense enough that now, when it was gone, he felt light headed and weak.

'Hey,' the sudden interruption to his thoughts, given in a rather exasperated, albeit muffled, way, made him blink, 'If you wouldn't mind,' Yuki twisted her head and bit his hand, none too gently, then, once he'd released her rather abruptly, she dusted off her shihakusho and continued in an irritated tone, 'I couldn't breathe,' and then she wiped her mouth in an attempt to remove a thread which she'd almost swallowed when a haori had been unexpectedly stuffed into her face.

'Sorry,' unable to remain serious even for a second, Toshiro started laughing, glad that no one was around to see, 'S-sorry about that,'

Yuki lowered her arm and blinked at the other captain who was having a hard time breathing, let alone remain standing, as the laughter shaking his frame seemed particularly intense, 'I really can't believe you,' she sighed deeply, 'Now can you see why I didn't stop by at the Tenth Division on my way here? Number one, I really did want Kira to see me alive before I went to see you, because I suspected you'd try to kill me in one way or another. And two, your Division, namely your Lieutenant, would have had heart attacks when they saw you laughing,' she paused, 'Or maybe they would've decided to become paparazzi. I heard about that in the World of the Living the last time I was there. It was on a newspaper,'

'P-paparazzi?' having been informed of the existence of such a group of humans by Matsumoto, Toshiro understood what Yuki was talking about. Unfortunately, it was a funny thought so he was consequently unable to stop laughing. He was beginning to feel very faint and he thought he might be about to pass out.

_R-role __reversal_, the thought immediately brought on another round of chuckles as he recalled the numerous times Kanashimi had gone into a state of either unconsciousness, or unresponsiveness, in the past.

'Hitsugaya,' the tone was deadly cold as the Third Division captain knelt before him, 'I think this would be an appropriate time to ask whether or not you went insane while I was,' she paused, 'Away,'

Looking up, the white haired captain met violet eyes with his own piercing turquoise, and he blinked, noting the intenseness of Yuki's stare. And he shook his head, still amused. As both captains stood, never once breaking each other's gaze, Yuki blinked suddenly.

Then she smiled, tilting her head in a way that made her seem a lot younger than she really was, fringe falling across her eyes, 'I'm home,'

Toshiro recognised the simple phrase, and he couldn't help but smile slightly too, 'Welcome home,'

Turning, both captains began wandering away from the platform, each wondering out loud where their Lieutenant might be, and what he or she might be doing. Time for each of them slid back into normality and just for a while, everything seemed absolutely perfect . . .

As the warning bells of the Seireitei sounded and everything burst into action, people running this way and that, neither Toshiro or Yuki noticed when all of the poems swirled into a single thought.

But they didn't need to, because they already knew how the final poem ended . . .

_This odd feeling,_

_Is . . . love._


End file.
